Heads up on Comet Lulin

[Quark (Trevor)]

Hi all,
Wasn't sure where to post this, thought about the Solar System forum, but as there are no images involved I have posted here.

Comet Lulin, a pristine new comet on a parabolic orbit is predicted to, maybe reach naked eye and will be well placed for Australian observers.

Comet Lulin will be close to Saturn on Feb 24th and very close to Regulus on Feb 28th.

Have attached the finder charts from the S & T bulletin.

For more info check out the Sky & Telescope weekly bulletin of 17/01/2009

[renormalised (Carl)]

Thanks for the info, Trevor

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Excellent!
Thanks for the heads up.

[kinetic (Steve)]

thanks Trev,

I've been keeping an eye on that one...
It's fairly bright now, but the moon's in the way at least
for a little while longer.
Here's a great site for current observable comets that I
occassionally call in on and check.
http://www.aerith.net/comet/weekly/current.html

or southern objects only:

http://www.aerith.net/comet/weekly/20081227s.html

Steve

Originally Posted by Quark

Hi all,
Wasn't sure where to post this, thought about the Solar System forum, but as there are no images involved I have posted here.

[iceman (Mike)]

I'm planning on getting up early one clear morning soon to try and capture it.

Thanks Trev!

[Liz]

Thanks Trev, yes, also looking forward to this one, and have high hopes for later next month to be at least mag 4 with a quite visible tail (also displaying an antitail at moment), fingers crossed .
Is presently in Libra, close to border of Scorpius, and about mag 6.

[cjpops (Craig)]

Thanks for those pdf's Quark - was trying to find some more information on this comet location etc.. Will this comet have a long tail and as bright as McNaught comet when it gets closer?

[Quark (Trevor)]

Originally Posted by cjpops

Thanks for those pdf's Quark - was trying to find some more information on this comet location etc.. Will this comet have a long tail and as bright as McNaught comet when it gets closer?

It is impossible to predict.
Comet McNaught was exceptional and I am sure exceeded, even Rob's wildest dreams.

Comets have extremely pristine and volatile ices, especially ones that have not swung in to the Sun previously. How it will perform and how its morphology will change and evolve is an unknown, this is one of the beauties of astronomy and being an observer.

We never really know what they will look like when they approach the Sun, the thing about this is to identify and observe comets like this one that may put on a spectacular display.

Regards
Trevor