The
Hergenrother comet is currently traversing the inner-solar system. Amateur and
professional astronomers alike have been following the icy-dirt ball over the
past several weeks as it has been generating a series of impressive outbursts
of cometary-dust material.
Now comes word that the comet's nucleus has taken the next step
in its relationship with Mother Nature."Comet Hergenrother is splitting
apart," said Rachel Stevenson, a post-doctoral fellow working at NASA's
Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.
"Using
the National Optical Astronomy Observatory's Gemini North Telescope on top of
Mauna Kea, Hawaii, we have resolved that the nucleus of the comet has separated
into at least four distinct pieces resulting in a large increase in dust
material in its coma."With more material to reflect the sun's rays, the
comet's coma has brightened considerably.
"The
comet fragments are considerably fainter than the nucleus," said James
Bauer, the deputy principal investigator for NASA's NEOWISE mission, from the
California Institute of Technology. "This is suggestive of chunks of
material being ejected from the surface."
The
comet's fragmentation event was initially detected on Oct. 26 by a team of
astronomers from the Remanzacco Observatory, using the Faulkes Telescope North
in Haleakala, Hawaii. The initial fragment was also imaged by the WIYN
telescope group at Kitt Peak National Observatory in
Arizona.
For
those interested in viewing Hergenrother, with a larger-sized telescope and a
dark sky, the comet can be seen in between the constellations of Andromeda and
Lacerta.The orbit of comet 168P/Hergenrother comet is well understood. The
comet, nor any of its fragments, is a threat to Earth.
For further information
visit: http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Scientists_Monitor_Comet_Breakup_999.html
No comments:
Post a Comment