Posted on 03/05/2015 6:47:38 AM PST by EBH
An unusual comet that is unlike anything seen before by scientists is expected to become visible from Earth in the coming weeks.
Nasa and the European Space Agency's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, also called SOHO, spotted the comet as it skimmed past the sun.
The is not thought to belong to any known family of comets and scientists have been left baffled as to how it survived its close encounter with the sun.
Most comets that come that close do not survive the trip, according to solar scientists who study images beamed back by SOHO.
Yet this comet managed to survive, said Dr Karl Battams, a solar scientist at the Naval Reearch Laboratory in Washington DC.
However, he warned the close encounter with the sun may have taken its toll.
He said: 'There's a half-decent chance that ground observers might be able to detect it in the coming weeks.
'But it's also possible that events during its trip around the sun will cause it to die fairly fast.'
Scientists are now attempting to calculate the path the new comet.
SOHO was initally designed to study the internal structure of the sun and the huge explosions that send the solar wind racing across the solar system.
...This latest comet, however, does not bear any resemblance to these other comets nor any other family known. Such non-group comets only occur a few times a year.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Video at source.
Artificial nucleus with an ablative shield that outgasses the way a comet does? And the close-approach is where it recharges power cells?
Wormwood?
It’s a Titaniun Space Ship piloted by our ancestors, who are coming back to visit us, to see how the seeding of our planet worked out.
BOY! ... are they going to be disappointed when they see that America elected OBAMA!
[Wormwood?]
If it looks like it’s headed our way - WATCH OUT! :)
The truth is it was not really a comet but an alien spacecraft made by a superior intelligent race. It was just fleeing the insanity of earthling politicians and the fastest way out was the route close to the sun!
SUNGRAZING COMET, DESTROYED: Last month we reported an unusual comet dive-bombing the sun. Discovered by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, “SOHO-2875” did not belong to any known family of sungrazing comets, and it intrigued astronomers by brightening after its closest approach on Feb. 19th. What happened to the comet? You’ll have to ask its ghost:
Astrophotographer Michael Jäger of Hochbärneck, Austria, took the picture on February 28, 2015, shortly after the comet had emerged from the glare of the sun. It shows not an intact comet, but rather a trail of debris. SOHO-2875 appears to be dead, and this is its remains.
Comet expert Karl Battams of the Naval research lab comments: “As we see, comet SOHO-2875 - officially C/2015 D1 (SOHO) - was indeed ‘recovered’ from the ground, but regrettably not in one piece. Amateur astronomer Justin Cowart was the first to spot the comet, followed the next night by a couple of other observers. All were reporting the same thing - a long diffuse streak with no central condensation - and Michael’s stunning image illustrates that perfectly.”
“When I see an image like this,” Battams continues, “it tells me that the nucleus of the comet no longer exists. Instead, probably soon after perihelion, the comet’s nucleus suffered some kind of catastrophic disruption and just completely fell apart. All that remains is a dusty ghost of what once was. You’ll recall Comet ISON did much the same thing, though in that comet’s case it fell apart before it even reached its closest point to the Sun. D1 has done us something of a favor by waiting until after perihelion to crumble, and the dust has remained somewhat compact enough that ground observers can view it for a while.”
“People often ask me in these situations what actually happens to the dust, and the answer depends on the size of the chunks. Really small stuff (think: vacuum cleaner dust) will get blown away by the force of sunlight hitting it. But bigger chunks will just continue safely on in their orbit, back out to the cold recesses of our solar system. This comet did not appear to be short or even long period, so this is one ghost that will not be making a reappearance!”
http://spaceweather.com/
Further analysis revealed that the comet is covered with an incredibly thick layer of sun block.
Borg Probe Incoming
Rama?
Extra to APoD, thanks EBH.
Did you notice the dim spot dead center?
Of possible interest to the ping list members.
spf3000 maybe?
SUNGRAZING COMET, DESTROYED.
What was it grazing? Sun flowers?
Probably a camera artifact.
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