Comets Blog
As C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) fades from 9th to 11th magnitude in the evening sky, three other comets are expected to be brighter than magnitude 12 as 2024 comes to a close. Like Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, two are also limited to northern hemisphere observers, while the other is only for southern hemisphere observers.
333P/LINEAR is a short-period comet with an 8.7-year orbital period and should peak a little brighter than magnitude 10 as it races across the northern sky. The comet won’t stay bright for long and will have faded to around magnitude 12 by the end of the month. The other northern comet, C/2022 E2 (ATLAS), will barely break the 12th magnitude barrier this month before also fading by the end of the month.
In the southern hemisphere, C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) should rapidly brighten from around magnitude 9th to 5th magnitude. Unfortunately, it will be a horizon-hugger this month. ATLAS is still brightening at a pace that suggests it will become a negative magnitude object at perihelion in January, though it will be too close to the Sun to be seen by most observers at that time. By the time G3 climbs back into a dark sky, it will be much fainter, though possibly still a naked-eye object.
The monthly ALPO Comet News PDF can be found here. All are encouraged to join the discussion over at Cloudy Nights.
Comets News Headlines
Meteors Shed Light on Comet Composition
8/22/2024
In
a study recently published in Icarus, researchers using visual and video
observations of 47 young meteor showers have found differences in the
sizes of meteoroids produced by short-period and long-period comets. The
difference in meteoroid sizes may be a relic of the conditions in the
early solar system when these objects formed. Jupiter-family comets
usually crumble into smaller, denser meteoroids, whereas long-period (Oort
Cloud) comets often crumble into sizes indicative of gentle accretion
conditions.
Read More
Comet's impact triggered downfall of ancient Hopewell?
2/1/2022
The rapid decline of the Hopewell culture about 1,500 years ago might be explained by falling debris from a near-Earth comet that created a devastating explosion over North America, laying waste to forests and Native American villages alike. Researchers found evidence of a cosmic airburst at 11 Hopewell archaeological sites in three states stretching across the Ohio River Valley.
Read More
New comet C/2021 O3 Might Brighten in May 2022
1/20/2022
A comet discovered last July is approaching the inner solar system and might reach binocular visibility (at least) by late April and early May 2022. It’s designated C/2021 O3 (PanSTARRS) and appears to be “new” to the inner solar system, a first-time visitor. If it survives its April 2022 passage near our star, the comet might become visible to amateur stargazers armed with binoculars in May. At that time, it’ll be in front of the constellation Perseus the Hero, close to the northwestern horizon after sunset.
Read More