Good news for amateur astronomers: Comet McNaught C/2009 R1 is showing signs that it may become an impressive sight in late June and early July. The comet was discovered by Robert McNaught of Siding Spring Observatory, Australia last September 9th. Southern hemisphere observers watched the comet through mid-March of this year before being picked up again in May by astronomers in the northern hemisphere. One observer in Brazil has already seen the comet with binoculars. Current expectations are that Comet McNaught should be visible to the naked eye before sunrise in late June and after sunset in early July (perihelion is on July 2nd).
For more information, see Gary Kronk's page at his Cometography website and Astronomy Picture of the Day (7 June 2010).
Photo Copyright © 2010 by Michael Jager (Austria)
No comments:
Post a Comment