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Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Comet Lemmon near the South Celestial Pole
NASA ^
| February 07, 2013
| (see photo credit)
Posted on 02/07/2013 4:00:05 AM PST by SunkenCiv
Explanation: Currently sweeping through southern skies, Comet Lemmon (C/2012 F6) was named for its discovery last year as part of the Mount Lemmon (Arizona) Survey. Brighter than expected but still just below naked-eye visibility, Comet Lemmon sports a stunning lime green coma and faint divided tail in this telescopic image from February 4. The greenish tint comes from the coma's diatomic C2 gas fluorescing in sunlight. Captured from an observatory near Sydney, Australia, the color composite is constructed from a series of individual exposures registered on the comet. Across the 1 degree wide field of view, the star trails are a consequence of the comet's relatively rapid motion against the background of stars near the South Celestial Pole. Moving north, the comet should grower brighter, reaching a peak (3rd magnitude or so) when it is closest to the Sun in late March. By early April it should be visible from the northern hemisphere. Of course, this year Comet Lemmon may be just another pretty comet as skygazers on planet Earth also eagerly anticipate views of Comet PANSTARRS and Comet ISON.
(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...
TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: 2012s1; apod; astronomy; c2012f6; comet2012f6; comet2012s1; cometc2012f6; cometison; cometlemmon; cometpanstarrs; greencomet; ison; science
1
posted on
02/07/2013 4:00:19 AM PST
by
SunkenCiv
To: brytlea; cripplecreek; decimon; bigheadfred; KoRn; Grammy; married21; steelyourfaith; Mmogamer; ...
Comet Lime is more like it.
2
posted on
02/07/2013 4:01:47 AM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(Romney would have been worse, if you're a dumb ass.)
To: brytlea; cripplecreek; decimon; bigheadfred; KoRn; Grammy; married21; steelyourfaith; Mmogamer; ...
Comet Lime is more like it.
3
posted on
02/07/2013 4:02:18 AM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(Romney would have been worse, if you're a dumb ass.)
To: SunkenCiv
Another member of the citrus class of comets.
4
posted on
02/07/2013 4:09:40 AM PST
by
ComputerGuy
(HM2/USN M/3/3 Marines RVN 66-67)
To: SunkenCiv
The wonders of this universe never cease. May our planet never catch one of these (a comet) by nothing more than the tail. May the tail be a great length with the head further out than our moon. Thank You, SunkenCiv for this thread! A very beautiful color for this comet.
5
posted on
02/07/2013 4:13:00 AM PST
by
no-to-illegals
(Please God, Protect and Bless Our Men and Women in Uniform with Victory. Amen.)
To: SunkenCiv
In brightest day, in blackest night,
No evil shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship evil's might,
Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!!!
6
posted on
02/07/2013 4:29:36 AM PST
by
Tainan
(Cogito, ergo conservatus sum -- "The Taliban is inside the building")
To: ComputerGuy
7
posted on
02/07/2013 4:39:36 AM PST
by
Vaquero
(Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
To: SunkenCiv
Comet Lemmon is OK, but Ajax Fresh Scent does a much better job IMO.
To: SunkenCiv
Lemmon was a STAR!
Not a comet.
9
posted on
02/07/2013 7:58:25 AM PST
by
left that other site
(Worry is the darkroom that developes negatives.)
To: Vaquero
According to the article, the green hue is a result of carbon gas fluorescing under UV light.
10
posted on
02/07/2013 9:09:32 AM PST
by
Squawk 8888
(True North- Strong Leader, Strong Dollar, Strong and Free!)
To: SunkenCiv
Ooooh! Poison green! Classy.
To: ComputerGuy; no-to-illegals; Tainan; Vaquero; Buckeye McFrog; left that other site; Squawk 8888; ...
12
posted on
02/07/2013 5:30:39 PM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(Romney would have been worse, if you're a dumb ass.)
To: SunkenCiv
*GASP!!* NOT the Kryptonite!!
To: SunkenCiv
Dude...we did the Green lantern poem yesterday.
14
posted on
02/07/2013 11:37:26 PM PST
by
Tainan
(Cogito, ergo conservatus sum -- "The Taliban is inside the building")
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