Below is a list of comets that came closest to Earth. Competitors are ranked according to rating.
Click on any blue panel to view information about the desired comet.
1. Comet Lexel
In the entire history of observations, Comet Lexel came closest to our planet. On July 1, 1770, the comet approached the Earth at a distance of 2.24 million km. This is about 6 distances from the Earth to the Moon.
The comet is named after Andrei Ivanovich Leksel, who calculated its orbit. Discovered by Charles Messier on June 14, 1770. In 1767, a comet came very close to Jupiter and, as a result of its gravity, changed its orbit and passed at the closest distance from our planet.
Comet Lexel ranks first on the list of comets that flew closest to Earth. It passed just 5.9 lunar distances from Earth in July 1770. It was so close that Charles Messier noted that the comet's coma looked roughly the size of four visible moons.
2. Comet Tempel-Tuttle
Comet Tempel-Tuttle 55P/1366 U1
According to astronomers' calculations, comet 55P/1366 U1 (Temple-Tuttle) passed by the Earth in October 1366 at a distance of 8.9 lunar distances.
Comet Tempel-Tuttle from the Uranian family. The comet has a core 4 kilometers in diameter and orbits the Sun in approximately 33.2 years.
As a result of the release of material from the comet's nucleus, the Leonid meteor shower is formed. The comet was discovered independently by Ernst Tempel on December 19, 1865 and by Horace Tuttle on January 6, 1866. It got its name in honor of them.
3. Comet P/2016 BA14
Comet P/2016 BA14
Comet P/2016 BA14 (Pan-STARRS) passed Earth on March 22, 2016. Comet P/2016 BA14's flyby passed at a distance of 3.6 million kilometers, or about 9 lunar distances from Earth, which is very close for a comet.
Comet P/2016 BA14 is the third comet that has passed closest to our planet in the entire history of recording such cases. P/2016 BA14 is the closest comet to Earth in the last 246 years!
4. Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock
Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock
This small comet approached our planet very close. Almost catching up with the record holder comet Lexel-Messier.
In 1983, comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock appeared in the sky just 4.7 million km from Earth. Scientists were able to determine that the substance of this comet contains sulfur.
In 1983, Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock could be seen with the naked eye. She literally moved across the night sky. Note that most comets move so slowly against the sky that you can only notice their movement if you watch them for at least an hour.
In May 1983, comet C/1983 H1 (IRAS-Araki-Alcock) passed at 12.2 lunar distances from Earth. Comet IRAS is currently ranked fourth on the list, behind Comet P/2016 BA14.
5. Comet Hartley 2
Comet Hartley 2
The small comet 103P/Hartley (or Hartley-2) flew past our planet at 11 million km. The comet was visible from Earth with the naked eye on October 20, 2010.
Hartley-2 belongs to short-period comets - it completes a complete flight along its trajectory around the Sun in 6 years and 5 months. However, it may change. Hartley-2 belongs to the Jupiter family - a group of comets whose point of maximum distance from the Sun is within the influence of Jupiter. The gravitational grip of the gas giant either throws the comet further into orbit, or, on the contrary, attracts it - the fluctuations amount to tens of millions of kilometers! So, in 1971, the Hartley 2 period was a year longer. The comet rotates around its own axis in 18 hours. It is interesting that the comet rotates along two axes at once - approximately along its length and width.
Hartley 2 will completely disappear after 100 revolutions around the Sun. In the night sky of the Earth, the comet reached magnitude +5 and could be seen with ordinary binoculars. The tail and coma of the comet stood out clearly. The combination of the high outgassing of the comet's nucleus and the short distance allowed it to obtain very detailed data on the composition of the comet.
However, scientists obtained the most data about Hartley 2 using the Deep Impact spacecraft. Having completed its unusual mission to shoot up Comet Tempel 1 in 2005, the Deep Impact probe saved many resources and paved the way to Hartley 2. A close approach of 695 kilometers was enough to determine the main characteristics of Hartley 2, namely:
The size of the comet is very modest - no more than 2 km long. It has the dumbbell shape typical of actively decaying comets. The thickness of the comet's thin bridge is only 400 meters.
Hartley 2 consists mainly of frozen water mixed with hydrocarbons and "dry ice" - a solid form of CO2, carbon dioxide. During the comet's gradual approach to perihelion, the point of closest approach to the Sun, they begin to actively evaporate. From the thickness of the core - the solid part of the comet - jets, streams of heated gases, burst out.
The surface of Hartley 2 is as black as fresh asphalt. It reflects only 2% of the incident light from the Sun. At the ends of the comet's nucleus there are scatterings of stones 50–80 meters across - they are several times brighter than the main surface of Hartley-2.
Jets and surface evaporation gases sweep away a large number of dust that lies in thick layers between layers of ice. Without these bright special effects, the dark core of Hartley 2 is quite difficult to see.
The most detailed image of the surface of comet Hartley 2
6. Comet Hyakutake
Comet Hyakutake
Comet Hyakutake flew from our planet at a distance of 1/10 from the Sun to the Earth - 14.9 million km. The comet illuminated the sky with a bluish-green light due to the presence of diatomic carbon emissions in its composition. Hyakutake was also the first comet to emit X-rays.
Comet Hyakutake, officially C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake), is a long-period comet discovered on January 30, 1996 by Japanese amateur astronomer Yuji Hyakutake. In March 1996, the comet passed relatively close to the Earth (its approach was one of the closest approaches of comets to the Earth over the past 200 years). The comet was very bright and easily visible to the naked eye in the night sky, earning it the name "Great Comet of 1996." For some time, Comet Hyakutake eclipsed Comet Hale-Bopp, which at that time was approaching the inner region solar system.
The observation of Comet Hyakutake led to several scientific discoveries. The most surprising thing for scientists was the first discovery of X-ray emission from a comet, likely caused by the interaction of ionized solar wind with neutral atoms in the comet's coma. In addition, the Ulysses spacecraft unexpectedly crossed the tail of Comet Hyakutake at a distance of more than 500 million km from the nucleus, which suggests that this comet has the longest tail currently known.
Before the last passage of Comet Hyakutake through the Solar System, its orbital period was 17,000 years, but after interacting with the gravitational field of the giant planets, it increased to 74,000 years.
7. Halley's Comet
The most famous comet
The most famous comet is Halley's Comet, visible from Earth every 75-76 years. Thus, any person can observe it twice in his life.
Named after the astronomer Edmund Halley. The comet is associated with the Orionids and Aquarids meteor showers. Halley's Comet is the only short-period comet clearly visible to the naked eye. Since the earliest observations recorded in the historical sources of China and Babylon, at least 30 appearances of the comet have been noted. The first reliably identifiable sighting of Halley's Comet dates back to 240 BC. The comet's last passage through perihelion was on February 9, 1986 in the constellation Aquarius. The next one is expected on July 28, 2061, and then on March 27, 2134.
When it appeared in 1986, Halley's Comet became the first comet to be studied by spacecraft, including the Soviet Vega-1 and Vega-2 spacecraft, which provided data on the structure of the cometary nucleus and the mechanisms of formation of the comet's coma and tail.
The comet's perihelion is elevated above the ecliptic plane by 0.17 AU. e. Due to the large eccentricity of the orbit, the speed of Halley's comet relative to the Earth is one of the highest among all bodies in the Solar System. In 1910, when flying past our planet, it was 70.56 km/s (254016 km/h). Halley's Comet approached Earth at a distance of 0.1 AU.
8. Comet Lulin
Comet Lulin
In 2009, the closest comet to Earth was Comet Lulin (C/2007 N3 Lulin). Comet Luling was visible to the naked eye in the constellation Leo as a speck corresponding in brightness to a fifth magnitude star.
According to scientists, comet Lulin was at a distance of 61 million km from Earth. In photographs of the comet, two tails were visible - plasma and dust, and in early February, part of the comet's tail was separated under the influence of the solar wind.
Comet Lulin was discovered in July 2007 by two Chinese astronomers Quan Zhi Ye and Chi Sheng Lin and was named after the Taiwanese Luling Observatory, where one of them worked.
9. Comet McNaught
Brightest comet
Comet McNaught lit up the sky in 2007, becoming the brightest comet. McNaught was dubbed the Great Comet of 2007. Astronomers were able to observe it, resulting in shedding light on the material of comets.
Comet C/2006 P1 was discovered by astronomer Robert McNaught in August 2006. In January-February 2007, Comet McNaught became the brightest comet visible from Earth in 40 years. As luck would have it, the robotic Ulysses spacecraft unexpectedly crossed the tail of Comet McNaught in 2007, allowing astronomers to collect useful and necessary data.
The Ulysses apparatus penetrated the tail of Comet McNaught, consisting of ionized gas, the outflow of which extends to a distance 1.5 times greater than the distance between the Earth and the Sun! And this amounted to about 224 million km.
It reached its shortest distance to Earth (0.81 astronomical units) on January 15, 2007.
10. Comet Hale-Bopp
The most memorable comet of the 20th century
Hale-Bopp is the most memorable comet of the 20th century. Earthlings observed her for 18 months from 1996 to 1997.
Comet Hale-Bopp circled the Sun, presenting a dazzling spectacle in Earth's night sky. In many photographs taken when the comet passed the perihelion point, the comet's memorable tails are clearly visible - whitish and bluish ionic.
The ion tail stretches more than 10 degrees across the northern sky, fading somewhere near the double star cluster in Perseus, while the comet's head lies near the bright star Almak in the constellation Andromeda.
Comet Hale-Bopp was visible to the naked eye from approximately late March 1996 until September 1997.
On March 23, 1997, it approached the minimum distance to Earth - 196 million km. The comet will return to Earth around 4390.
11. Comet of the Century
Comet of the Century flies towards Earth
The brightest comet of the decade
Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) was discovered on September 21, 2012 by Russian astronomer Artem Novichonok and astronomer from Belarus Vitaly Nevsky at an observatory in the Kislovodsk region, which is part of the international ISON network. This comet could put on an unprecedented celestial show and, if predictions come true, will become one of the brightest and largest comets in human history. For now the comet looks like a small dot, but by autumn it will become brighter than the Moon.
Hubble Telescope took a photo of comet ISON, which is steadily approaching us. As a result of image analysis, it was found that the nucleus of comet ISON has a size of about 6 kilometers, the cloud of dust and gas around the core of the celestial body reaches 5 thousand kilometers in diameter, and the length of the comet’s tail exceeds 92 thousand kilometers. It is expected that as the comet approaches the Sun, its tail and gas envelope will increase in size.
Observations have shown that the comet dumps approximately 51,000 kg of dust per minute, and the entire mass of the comet can be estimated at ~1.5 billion tons. Imagine what would happen if such a snowball with a diameter of 6 kilometers crashed into the Earth at a speed of approximately 75,600 km/h. For comparison, the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs had a diameter of 10 kilometers and a mass of 4.1 trillion. tons and speed 30 km/s. Fortunately for us, the distance at which the comet will fly past the Earth is not dangerous, but for observing the show it is the most optimal.
Currently The comet is located 600 million kilometers from the Sun and can only be seen from Earth through a super-powerful telescope. And still, even through a telescope, the comet will only appear as a small bright point. But day after day, ISON will come closer to Earth. Astronomers promise that by the end of summer, earthlings will be able to see the comet even with household binoculars and home telescopes.
Forecasts
Expected, that ISON should come closer to the Sun than other comets. The moment of closest approach will occur on November 28, 2013, when the comet will be at a distance of only 1.1 million kilometers from the surface of our star. At this time, the comet will be visible very clearly, and its brightness will exceed the brightness of the Moon at full moon (-13 magnitude). It will be the brightest comet that the inhabitants of the Earth have seen in the last decade or even a century. For this reason, comet ISON has already been called the Comet of the Century. The comet can be observed close to the Sun even during the day.
Comet orbit, most likely parabolic. This means that it came from the Oort Cloud. On December 26, 2013, the comet will fly by at 0.4 AU. e. (60 million km) from Earth. ISON has not made any close encounters with the giant planets, and there are suggestions that it will not survive a close encounter with the solar atmosphere. In general, as in the case of other comets, the fate of ISON will be decided by our luminary - whether it will receive the title of Comet of the Century, or melt away without a trace, crumbling into small components. But if the comet survives, it will be visible even during the day (like the moon), and at night its trail will stretch widely across the entire earth’s sky.
Observations with Deep Impact
NASA spacecraft Deep Impact is currently observing Comet ISON. Based on images taken on January 17-18, 2013 by a camera on board Deep Impact, scientists were even able to make a short video.
Scientists note:“We were thrilled that we were able to make these observations when the comet was only 5 AU away. from the sun. Soon the comet should fly past Mars at a fairly close distance and we will try to observe it using the Curiosity rover from Mars, as well as track its movement using other devices in space.”
What's ahead
So far the brightest comet of the 20th century is C/1965 S1 (Ikeya - Seki), which in 1965 had a magnitude of -10 at perihelion (brighter objects have more negative values. And the most unforgettable events of the 20th century are, of course, the observation of a comet from Earth Hale-Bopp and the fall of a comet to Jupiter Shoemaker-Levy. Let's see if ISON can eclipse these achievements.
Anyway, hope for the show cannot be lost, as comet C/2012 S1 could create unusual look meteor shower. This invisible rain will be very slow and may take months or years to arrive. It is expected that cometary dust from ISON will create "noctilucent clouds" - brilliant night clouds over the Earth's poles that will glow blue.
Don't miss out on unforgettable sights. Comet ISON can be observed with the naked eye in both hemispheres for 2 months (from November this year to January 2014).
NASA experts published a video of a comet flying past the Earth in March 2016. This video was compiled from radar images from the Goldstone Observatory, which were obtained from space equipment that observed the approach of comet P/2016 BA14 to our planet between March 21 and 23. Astronomers found that this celestial body approached the Earth at a distance of 3.6 to 4.1 million kilometers and rotated around its axis with a period of about 40 hours, writes Informing.
The video of a comet flying past Earth in March 2016 clearly shows that comet P/2016 BA14 has a very unusual shape, resembling a pear. Researchers were able to examine its features with an accuracy of up to 8 meters per pixel, which will allow them in the future to make a detailed analysis of this celestial body, which could lead to a tragedy on the “blue planet.”
Scientists, in the comments to the video of a comet flying past the Earth in March 2016, also said that the diameter of the celestial body was at least one kilometer. At the same time, this “space wanderer” was approaching our planet in company with comet 252P/LINEAR, which flew near the Earth at a distance of 5.2 million kilometers. Experts believe that 252P/LINEAR is a large fragment of comet P/2016 BA14 itself, the appearance of which in near-Earth space excited the entire scientific world.
Comet P/2016 BA14, which flew past the Earth, was not the last cosmic threat to our planet this year. Experts announced that in April 2016, an asteroid the size of the main building of Moscow State University will approach the “blue planet”. Scientists believe that this huge cosmic body will fly from Earth at a distance of at least 10 million kilometers, which will minimize the threat to earthlings.
Comet P/2016 BA14 flying past Earth (video):
Try to find Comet C/2013 US10 (Catalina) a few hours after Christmas. In the early morning of January 7, 2016, you will find a comet passing near the bright star Arcturus in the constellation Bootes. It will not be visible to the naked eye, but binoculars or a small telescope will be able to discern it as a small, fuzzy spot of light in the predawn sky. If you received a telescope or binoculars at New Year, this comet will be a fantastic target. Start the New Year off right and share the sight of this comet with your friends or family! Current brightness estimates place Comet Catalina at magnitude 6.2 to 6.4, just below naked-eye viewing levels. Pay attention to the image above and you will see how easy it will be to find Comet Catalina in early 2016.
When and where can you see Comet Catalina?
The comet was in our predawn sky for last month. Its brightness was quite stable. As the New Year begins, it will gradually become an object in the night sky.
The comet was closer to the Sun until November 15, and is currently moving away from the Sun. But it is still getting closer to Earth. On January 17, 2016, Comet Catalina will be at its closest point to Earth at a distance of 68 million miles (110 million km). Compare that to the Moon's distance of about a quarter of a million miles... and you'll see that the comet doesn't pass near us. However, when it comes closest to Earth in mid-January, we may see the comet a little brighter than it is now.
According to all available data, Comet Catalina will never rise in brightness above magnitude 6, the limit of visibility with the naked eye.
Remember... the comet moves slowly across the sky. Below you will find several diagrams that should help you find it. Or check out this diagram from skyandtelescope.com.
What does Comet Catalina look like?
The comet's tail is about 500,000 miles (800,000 km) long! And it turned out to be double. Some photographs were able to capture even more detail. With binoculars, you'll likely spot the comet as a small, hazy smudge. You can most often see the short tail of this comet. Chances are you won't see any color at all.
Sarah Schiefer of Austin, Texas, who took the photo above, wrote: "I've been trying to capture Comet Catalina on camera for weeks without much luck. My camera doesn't have a tracker, so it was hard to spot the comet. I finally got lucky on this one." morning!".
A telescope will provide the best view. Even when observed with a telescope, you will not see the green color of the comet as shown in some photographs. Cameras are more sensitive than the human eye, and after a few seconds or minutes of exposure, they provide very good view comet colors.
But visual observations using telescopes in December 2015 could provide a hint of the green color of Comet Catalina's coma or its atmosphere.
And by the way, the green color we see in comets comes from gases such as diatomic carbon.
Essential Data
- October 31, 2013. The Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona discovered the comet, later named C/2013 US10 (Catalina). At first, astronomers thought it was a rocky or metallic asteroid, but further observations determined it was an icy comet.
- On November 15, 2015, Comet Catalina was at perihelion, or closest to the Sun. It does not approach the Sun as close as some comets do. During its closest approach to our star, the comet moved between the orbits of the planets Earth and Venus. Its perihelion distance was 0.82 AU. from the Sun (1 AU = 1 distance from the Earth to the Sun). Comet Catalina was traveling at 103,000 mph (166,000 km/h) relative to the sun at perihelion.
- From November 23 to November 30, 2015. Comet Catalina has become open to observers in the Northern Hemisphere.
- December 7, 2015. Heavenly show! Comet Catalina was visible next to Venus and the waning moon.
- December 31, 2015. The comet approaches the apparent position of Arcturus in the sky. Another one good opportunity for photo.
- January 1, 2016. Comet Catalina will pass very close to the star Arcturus. An excellent reference point when searching for a comet in the sky!
- January 17, 2016. Comet Catalina will pass 68 million miles (110 million km) from Earth. This is very, very far from Earth - hundreds of times further than the distance to the Moon. Thus, there is no danger of collision. That said, let's talk about the size of the comet's nucleus. Some estimates indicate that Comet Catalina's nucleus ranges between 4 and 20 kilometers in diameter.
Which comet will be next visible to the naked eye?
The next comet predicted to be visible to the naked eye - and actually easy to spot - is Comet 46P/Wirtanen. She will appear as a heavenly gift on Christmas 2018.
Although Comet 46P may reach magnitude 3 or 4, there is always the possibility that a newly discovered comet will provide a good celestial show before then.
Here you go short review comets that were accessible to small amateur instruments in 2016. It includes all comets brighter than twelfth magnitude that were observed in the past year. Let's start with the pivot table -
| Designation | Tperig. | q, a.u. | Delta, a.e. | Mmax | Observation period |
| 2016 Apr. 20 | 1.314 | 1.531 | 6.4 | X.2013 – VII.2017 | |
| 2016 March 15 | 0.996 | 0.036 | 4.0 | IX.2015 – VII.2016 | |
| 2016 July 20 | 1.592 | 1.475 | 11.0 | X.2014 - VI.2016 | |
| 2016 Aug 2 | 1.542 | 0.979 | 11.0 | XII.2014 - XI.2017 | |
| 333P/LINEAR | 2016 Apr. 3 | 1.115 | 0.527 | 11.5 | XI.2015 - X.2016 |
| C/2015 WZ (PanSTARRS) | 2016 Apr. 15 | 1.377 | 1.110 | 10.5 | X.2015 – VII.2016 |
| 43P/Wolf-Harrington | 2016 Aug.19 | 1.358 | 1.540* | 11.5 | VII.2015 – VI.2017 |
| C/2016 A8 (LINEAR) | 2016 Aug thirty | 1.881 | 1.039 | 11.9 | I.2016 – XI.2016 |
| 144P/Kushida | 2016 Aug 31 | 1.431 | 1.592* | 11.5 | VIII.2016 – V.2017 |
| 237P/LINEAR | 2016 Oct. eleven | 1.985 | 1.395 | 11.5 | III.2016 - XI.2016 |
| P/2003 T12 (SOHO) | 2016 March 9 | 0.577 | 1.327 | 8.0 | II.2016 – V.2016 |
The table shows: Designation, Tperig.- the moment the comet passes perihelion, q, a.e- perihelion distance in astronomical units, Delta, a.e.- maximum approach of the comet to the Earth in AU, M max- maximum brightness in this appearance and Observation period worldwide in month.year format.
Notes: * - the comet approached the minimum distance to Earth in 2017.
And now some details:
- Comet C/2013 X1 (PANSTARRS) was observed worldwide from October 2013 to July 2017. Of the entire three-year period of observations with small instruments, we had access to the period from November 2015 to early March 2016, when the comet was observed throughout the night and then in the evenings. The maximum brightness of comet C/2013 X1 (PANSTARRS) was 6.4 magnitude at the end of December. She moved through the constellations of Perseus, Andromeda, Pisces, Andromeda again, Pegasus and Pisces again. The comet was a fairly condensed object DC=6-7.
I have data for C/2013 X1 (PANSTARRS) here - .
- Comet 252P/LINEAR was observed worldwide from September 2015 to July 2016. The comet passed its perihelion point in mid-March at a distance of about one astronomical unit (q=0.996 AU). This is the third observed appearance of this comet since its discovery in 2000. The comet is a short-period comet with an orbital period of 5.3 years. The comet reached its maximum brightness - 4.0 magnitude - on the twentieth of March, immediately after perihelion. At this time, it approached the Earth at a minimum distance of 0.036 AU. or 5 million 386 thousand kilometers. 252P/LINEAR looked like a rather diffuse object - the maximum degree of condensation was DC=3. In our latitudes, it could be observed after the peak of brightness - from the very end of March until the end of June, when its brightness dropped to twelfth magnitude. At this time, she moved through the constellations Scorpio, Ophiuchus, Serpens, Ophiuchus, Hercules, and then Ophiuchus again. It was visible first in the mornings, then from the beginning of April in the second half of the night, and then throughout the dark time of the day.
I have all the information on this comet under the tag - .
- Another short-period comet that visited us in 2016 is comet 81P/Vilda 2. This appearance of the comet cannot be called outstanding - at its maximum brightness in the first half of July it reached only the eleventh magnitude. The comet was observed in its seventh appearance since its discovery in 1978. The orbital period of 81P/Vilda 2 is about 6 years. It passed the perihelion point in 2016 on July 20 at a distance of 1.59 AU from the Sun. In our small instruments, the comet could be observed from May to the first half of July. She moved through the constellation Gemini, Cancer and Leo.
81P/Vilda 2 reached its minimum distance to Earth on January 8 - 1.475 AU. We were visible first in the first half of the night, and then in the evenings before sunset.
Information on the comet is on my blog - .
- Famous short-period comet 9P/Tempelya 1 returned to the Sun in 2016 for its 13th observed appearance since Tempel's discovery in Marseille in 1867. Also, 13 appearances of this comet were missed (from 1879 to 1961). The perihelion point of 9P/Tempel 1 passed on August 2, 2016 at a distance of 1.5 AU. from the sun. In this worldwide appearance, the comet was observed from December 2014 to November 2017, and reached its maximum brightness around eleventh magnitude in July 2016. In our country it could be observed at this time in the evenings after sunset, low above the horizon in the constellation Virgo. The comet was a weakly condensed object—the degree of condensation did not exceed 4.
I have data on this comet in my feed - .
- Another short-period comet - 333P/LINEAR observed in its second appearance after its discovery in 2007. The orbital period of this comet around the Sun is 8.7 years. 333P/LINEAR has a high orbital inclination of 131.9 degrees. The comet passed the perihelion point in this appearance on April 3 at a distance of 1.1 AU. from the sun. It reached its maximum magnitude of 11.5 magnitude at the end of March. In our small devices a comet could be
observe from late February to early March in the first half of the night. 333P/LINEAR was moving at this time in the constellation Taurus.
- The next comet of our review C/2015 WZ (PANSTARRS) It reached its maximum brightness at the end of May - beginning of June - about 10.5 magnitude. The comet passed its perihelion point on April 15 at a distance of 1.38 AU. from the sun. Our observation period with small instruments was short - May-June. The comet was observed throughout the night, high above the horizon in the southern sky. It approached the minimum distance to Earth on June 22 - 1.1 AU. All the time, the comet was a low-condensation object for visual observers - DC did not exceed 3. C/2015 WZ (PANSTARRS) moved through the constellations Pegasus, Lizard, Cygnus, Draco and Hercules.
- Comet 43P/Wolf-Harrington was observed in its twelfth appearance since its discovery in 1924. Three appearances of the comet (1932, 1939 and 1945) were missed. The orbital period of 43P/Wolf-Harrington is 6.1 years, the orbital inclination is low for comets - 16 degrees. In its current appearance, the comet passed perihelion on August 19 and reached magnitude 11.5 at its maximum in late August–September. The comet was visible in the morning low in the eastern sky in the constellation Cancer.
- Comet C/2016 A8 (LINEAR) also reached its maximum brightness at the end of August 2016. True, at the peak of its brilliance, the comet was barely visible to small amateur instruments - magnitude 11.9. It also passed the perihelion point at the end of August - on the 30th at a distance of 1.89 AU. from the sun. The comet was observed throughout the night in the southern sky high above the horizon. Moved through the constellations Cygnus and Chanterelle.
- The next comet of our review is comet 144P/Kushida was discovered by Yoshio Kushida on January 8, 1994. It turned out to be periodic with a period of 7.6 years and was observed in its fourth appearance in 2016. The comet passed its perihelion point on August 31 at a distance of 1.4 astronomical units from the Sun. The orbital inclination of 144P/Kushida is very small for a comet - 4 degrees. The comet reached its maximum brightness (somewhere around 11.5 magnitude) in the fall - in early September. It could be found in the mornings before sunrise, low above the horizon in the constellation Cancer, and then Leo. The degree of condensation of the comet was low - DC = 3.
- Another short-period comet - comet 237P/LINEAR in 2016, its brilliance exceeded the twelfth magnitude limit. The comet was observed in its third appearance since its discovery in 2002 and passed perihelion on October 11 at a distance of 1.98 AU. (this is even beyond the orbit of Mars) from the Sun. It also passed from the Earth at a fairly large distance of 1.395 AU. in the beginning of May. It could be observed with small instruments in September-October, when the comet was visible in the evenings immediately after sunset, very low above the horizon. The comet moved through the constellations Libra, Scorpio and Ophiuchus.
- The last comet of our review - P/2003 T12 (SOHO) in this appearance was observed on cameras of the STEREO spacecraft.
Astronomical phenomena in January of this year are striking in their unusualness and importance. In addition to ordinary meteor showers and a unique parade of planets, we will also have an unusual guest - comet Catalina. On this matter, astrologers have their own forecast and their own individual opinion.
What is a comet
Comets are small nuclei, not exceeding several tens of kilometers in diameter. Roughly speaking, these are huge lumps of dust and ice. According to reputable cosmologists, all known comets come to us from a special Oort cloud, located 270 billion kilometers from the Sun. There are comets that a person can see only once in a lifetime, and there are those that arrive every few years.
What is most interesting about these space objects is their tail, which stretches up to 100 thousand kilometers. These are very beautiful celestial bodies, and they are extremely interesting to observe in the night sky, and this can often be done even with the naked eye.
Symbolology of comets: the opinion of astrologers
The opinion of astrologers about comets and about Catalina, which will be visible through telescopes starting around December 7, is quite ambiguous. Comet astrology largely dates back to the ancient Mayans, who paid special attention to these wandering stars. They believed that comets bring misfortunes and natural disasters, that is, behind the mask of charm and beauty, a terrible face of misfortune is hidden.
The modern view of scientists is somewhat similar to the Mayan view, but it is more positive and positive. In accordance with the teachings of modern astrologers and their predecessors, comets carry a spark of the new and unknown, but not necessarily negative. This applies primarily to those comets that are clearly visible in the night sky.
Astrologers say that Comet Catalina conflicts with the Fire Monkey, and therefore neutralizes its effect in some way. This means that the new year 2016 will start a little calmer. In general, the Stars are in such a position that the comet should not bring trouble this year. The combination of Capricorn and Aquarius shifts energy fluctuations in a positive direction.
We remind you that Catalina will be best visible in the night sky on January 17, so it can be observed with the naked eye in the area of the constellation Ursa Major. We hope that the comet brings you good luck, we wish you a happy January and only positive news. May the comet bring you good luck - be happy and don't forget to press the buttons and
14.01.2016 00:30
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