Comments on: Tell-Tale Tail http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/24/tell-tale-tail/ Sat, 10 Jan 2009 01:09:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: spyder http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/24/tell-tale-tail/#comment-25625 spyder Fri, 26 Jan 2007 18:31:00 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/24/tell-tale-tail/#comment-25625 stunning and magnificent. thank you, wow... stunning and magnificent. thank you, wow…

]]> By: mis 3 quarks » Breves: 25/01/07 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/24/tell-tale-tail/#comment-25499 mis 3 quarks » Breves: 25/01/07 Thu, 25 Jan 2007 19:16:34 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/24/tell-tale-tail/#comment-25499 [...] Más videos: cometa McNaught (en inglés)Otro video cortesía del observatorio SOHO. Via Asymptotia. [...] [...] Más videos: cometa McNaught (en inglés)Otro video cortesía del observatorio SOHO. Via Asymptotia. [...]

]]> By: Clifford http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/24/tell-tale-tail/#comment-25476 Clifford Thu, 25 Jan 2007 14:42:51 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/24/tell-tale-tail/#comment-25476 Why no angels, Pyracantha? That's exactly what it looks like. I can't believe I did not see that before... Excellent point! -cvj Why no angels, Pyracantha? That’s exactly what it looks like. I can’t believe I did not see that before… Excellent point!

-cvj

]]> By: astromcnaught http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/24/tell-tale-tail/#comment-25470 astromcnaught Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:07:35 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/24/tell-tale-tail/#comment-25470 My first thought, beyond wow, was that it looked like an angel's wing too! We had an angel on top of our Christmas tree last year, so they certainly exist. Hmm, or was it a fairy? Can we say that this is the finest comet in living memory? Since 1744? http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Klinkenberg.jpg It's interesting to compare comet West (1976). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_West West had much the same tail structure and would have no doubt displayed the same effects if it had passed as close to the Sun as McNaught (it was twice as far away). Further, I imagine that the images being produced of McNaught are much finer what with the advent of digital cameras, not to mention the odd space probe! I think this one beats them all, especially as it has such a nice name :) My first thought, beyond wow, was that it looked like an angel’s wing too! We had an angel on top of our Christmas tree last year, so they certainly exist. Hmm, or was it a fairy?

Can we say that this is the finest comet in living memory?
Since 1744? http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Klinkenberg.jpg

It’s interesting to compare comet West (1976). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_West

West had much the same tail structure and would have no doubt displayed the same effects if it had passed as close to the Sun as McNaught (it was twice as far away). Further, I imagine that the images being produced of McNaught are much finer what with the advent of digital cameras, not to mention the odd space probe!

I think this one beats them all, especially as it has such a nice name :)

]]> By: Amara http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/24/tell-tale-tail/#comment-25453 Amara Thu, 25 Jan 2007 10:11:28 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/24/tell-tale-tail/#comment-25453 I would really like to know who is making spectroscopic measurements of this comet, to measure isotopic abundances like deuterium, and of other noble gases, nitrogen and so on. The comet experts I know told me that such kinds of measurements are difficult/impossible because the comet is too close to the Sun. And I am thinking: Yes, but astronomers are _so clever_, surely some excellent data is being acquired by someone given particular geometries and sun-blocking devices. I will continue to ask around. Since the STEREO has 3 sets of a suite of instruments, perhaps their dataset on this comet will be the best (once I learn what measurements they made). I would really like to know who is making spectroscopic measurements of this comet, to measure isotopic abundances like deuterium, and of other noble gases, nitrogen and so on. The comet experts I know told me that such kinds of measurements are difficult/impossible because the comet is too close to the Sun. And I am thinking: Yes, but astronomers are _so clever_, surely some excellent data is being acquired by someone given particular geometries and sun-blocking devices. I will continue to ask around. Since the STEREO has 3 sets of a suite of instruments, perhaps their dataset on this comet will be the best (once I learn what measurements they made).

]]> By: Pyracantha http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/24/tell-tale-tail/#comment-25447 Pyracantha Thu, 25 Jan 2007 09:01:11 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/24/tell-tale-tail/#comment-25447 It looks like an angel's wing. I know... no angels. OK, it looks like an egret's wing. A celestial egret. It looks like an angel’s wing.

I know… no angels. OK, it looks like an egret’s wing. A celestial egret.

]]> By: Lab Lemming http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/24/tell-tale-tail/#comment-25446 Lab Lemming Thu, 25 Jan 2007 08:43:34 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/24/tell-tale-tail/#comment-25446 I have to say, watching the comet hanging in the sky over parliament house is pretty cool... I have to say, watching the comet hanging in the sky over parliament house is pretty cool…

]]> By: Thad http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/24/tell-tale-tail/#comment-25434 Thad Thu, 25 Jan 2007 06:23:05 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/24/tell-tale-tail/#comment-25434 Thanks for mentioning the videos of STEREO passing through the tail. I'm really in awe of the brightness and volume of material this comet has produced. With a fair bit of processing, I can bring out a little bit of the curve in the tail in the pictures I took from campus. Then, I look at what they can see from the southern hemisphere and am filled with all manner of envy. Thanks for mentioning the videos of STEREO passing through the tail. I’m really in awe of the brightness and volume of material this comet has produced. With a fair bit of processing, I can bring out a little bit of the curve in the tail in the pictures I took from campus. Then, I look at what they can see from the southern hemisphere and am filled with all manner of envy.

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