Quote:
Originally Posted by glenc
Thanks Phil. Looks like the comet is running out of puff and the tail is faint above alpha Centauri.
When the comet gets away from the Milky Way it will be easier to measure the tail.
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Hi Glen - I'm not so sure that's true. I suspect the fade-off has been assisted by the Milky Way although I'd like to hear some expert opinion on it. I've imaged the fainter section of the tail a bit and noticed that whenever it crosses a dark patch in the Milky Way it virtually disappears. Where the Milky Way is very bright it can also wash out the tail but maybe there's a reinforcing thing going on with the tail over the lighter glow.
If the tail behaved the same way in dark sky away from the Milky Way as it has been in passing over dark nebulae then maybe the show would have been over days ago. Ah well, time will tell if it can hang on a bit longer!
Cheers -