New Delhi, Jan 11: Stargazers are in for a treat
next month as Comet Lulin is moving closer to Earth and will
be visible to the naked eye.
The comet is swinging around the Sun and approaching the
Earth. The photogenic Lulin has a bright tail and an
"anti-tail". At its closest approach in February, Comet Lulin
is expected to brighten to naked-eye visibility, reaching a
magnitude of six.
The comet is at present moving between the constellations
Scorpio and Libra.
Lulin is expected to head towards Leo at an accelerated
pace late next month.
The comet will pass 0.41 Astronomical Units from earth
and reach its closest distance to Earth on February 24, about
14.5 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
Lulin was the first comet jointly discovered by
astronomers across the Taiwan Strait in 2007.
The discovery of Comet Lulin (C/2227 N3) was part of a
major achievement made by the Lulin Sky Survey project to
explore the various populations of small bodies in the solar
system, especially objects that could be a hazard to the
Earth.
Astronomers at the Taipei Astronomical Museum said the
tail of Lulin would be most visible during the time it moves
closest to the Earth.
Lulin will be observable low in the sky in an
east-southeast direction before dawn, the museum said.
Bureau Report
