Are You Interested in Comets? Most Starmap users already know they can use the program to find comets. We update the comets list frequently. The most talked-about comet these days is Comet ISON. Its “official” name (bestowed by the International Astronomical Union) is C/2012 S1. The ISON comes from the name of the telescope that was used in the comet’s discovery: The International Scientific Optical Network (ISON). The two men who discovered it are Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novichonok, from Belarus and Russian, respectively. Comet ISON is apparently on its first trip around the Sun. It formed in the Oort Cloud when the Sun and planets did, so its ices and other components have existed for about 4.5 billion years ago. That fact really excites scientists because it means that comets are treasure troves of information about conditions in the early solar system as it was forming, and thus help them understand how planets form—both the ones here in our own neighborhood as well as planets around other stars. In the Starmap Media story called “Worlds in Collision” (tinyurl/planet-collisions, which I highlighted a few entries ago) we talk about the star birth process that also creates planets, moons, rings, asteroids, and comets. If you want to see Comet ISON during November, early morning (around 4 a.m.) is good for the next week or so. You’ll need binoculars or a telescope to spot it. When you do see it, you’ll be seeing an ancient piece of solar system history!
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 18:32:01 +0000
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