Hey gang, a comet named, Lulin, has been sweeping thru the night sky, just recently by Saturn. Maui's skies have not been clear enough to see it, at least where I live. Here is some info on the comet and a web link to see it's path in the next couple days. If you have binoculars or a telescope - get them out and try to spy the green comet! Hope to see ya next month at a bon voyage party for Venus.
spaceweather.com
THE GREAT GREEN Q-TIP: For weeks, Comet Lulin has sported a wispy tail of electric-blue ionized gas emerging from the comet's head like a shock of unruly hair: image. Today, that tail is gone:"I couldn't detect the ion tail even in a deep 24-minute exposure," reports astrophotographer John Nassr, who took the picture on Feb. 24th from his private observatory in the Philippines.
Comet Lulin now resembles a great green Q-tip!
A three-day sequence of photos by Nassr reveals what happened: Apparently, a gust of solar wind disrupted the comet's gossamer ion tail. Meanwhile, the comet's heavier, spike-shaped dust tail was not noticeably disturbed. This has happened at least twice before in January and February, and each time the ion tail rapidly grew back.
A lot is happening on Comet Lulin. Stay tuned for updates.
UPDATE: A high-contrast movie of Comet Lulin recorded on Feb. 25th by Filipe Alves of Portugal shows filamentary remnants of the ion tail still attached to the comet. Play it!
Comet Lulin Photo Gallery
[Comet Hunter Telescope] [Sky maps: Feb. 25, 26]
