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Comet Lulin is approaching earth and is visible now for anyone interested in this sort of thing, heres an excellent picture of it from the spaceweather website.


http://www.spaceweather.com/comets/lulin/18feb09/Jack-Newton1.jpg

it looks like a borg torpedo ...we are all doomed!!!
...bummer my kids telescope is broken..all we have is binoculars though according to the first site I clicked on about it thats all u will need...I will make an evening of it with the youngin on a not so cold night suppose to late Feb I just read it will be brightest?..thanks Bicnarok!
oh and Im d/l ing it now but this site has a finder chart...
www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/35992534.html
if anyone knows of a clearer chart post it please...
this one works Im sure but I always liked the ones with a star chart photo mapped out etc..

Loads more info and pictures here

http://www.ukweatherworld.co.uk/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=27708&posts=22&start=1

sort of odd to think that, once it has passed earth by, it will likely never be seen by human eyes again...

borg torpedo sounds better..lol..but definately thanks for the chart...if we catch it will tell about it...

to cloudy here lately to see anything, a shame.

Looks like Thorium

kid and I wanted to do it last night but cloudy here too....

Originally posted by jinXed by JaNx
Looks like Thorium

Maybe its a Thorium comet, that would be interesting if it hit something.


http://www.galleries.com/minerals/silicate/thorite/thorite.jpg

let it hit elsewhere way out of our solar system...I imagine being so visible it is quite large

Just read this:-

Lulin's green color comes from the gases that make up its Jupiter-sized atmosphere. Jets spewing from the comet's nucleus contain cyanogen (CN: a poisonous gas found in many comets) and diatomic carbon (C2). Both substances glow green when illuminated by sunlight in the near-vacuum of space.

jupiter sized atmosphere hold please..lol.....I just did a google and didn't look into but said its triple the size of jupiter...now if the atmosphere is that big how big is the comet I couldnt find that yet?

Originally posted by Bicnarok
Jets spewing from the comet's nucleus contain cyanogen (CN: a poisonous gas found in many comets) and diatomic carbon (C2).

I hope everybody has bought their comet pills!

ahh dont worry bout me I'll just pour another...and as far as nasa Im sure they are pouring another too..

You could be right, as it was stated on a few sites Ive read that the atmosphere is Jupier sized. For example..

http://globalwarming-arclein.blogspot.com/2009/02/green-comet-lulins-passage.html

http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=7902

http://www.physorg.com/news153070017.html

http://www.spsnational.org/news/hotscience.htm

I had the pleasure of going up to my local observatory and getting to see it through a big telescope. Was pretty damn cool. Wasn't able to connect my camera up to it though so couldn't get any pics.

well then your just a tease..lol

BBBBBBORING!!!!

Originally posted by Phantom Zone
Yeah I know I just thought id be a bit of a dick.

Which bit?...The shaft?...The bell-end?...or the cheesy smegma that covers unclean ones?

Originally posted by jaden101
Which bit?...The shaft?...The bell-end?...or the cheesy smegma that covers unclean ones?

facepalm.....

ah I see thats the trick ahhh

Originally posted by Bicnarok
ah I see thats the trick ahhh

" I see, that's ah the trick."