Sat Mar 23, 2024 11:33 pm by globalturbo
Three weeks ago, amateur astronomers tried to catch Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y4). It wasn't easy, but over the last several nights the comet has really brightened. The comet is about as bright as an 8th or 9th magnitude star. That's too dim to see with the naked eye--but consider this: The comet is hundreds of times brighter than astronomers predicted when it was discovered 4 months ago by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS). And it's still beyond the orbit of Mars. By the time Comet ATLAS approaches the sun in May, it could become quite bright, indeed. Estimates range from magnitude +1 to -10; in other words, somewhere between a 1st magnitude star and the waxing crescent Moon. The estimated size of the comet's green atmosphere is 300,000 km or more than twice as wide as Jupiter. It's a big target--and it's getting bigger as the comet approaches. Right now, amateur astronomers can observe Comet ATLAS in Ursa Major constellation. https://spaceweather.com/
https://youtu.be/FJLn77iyr-I
