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His name is very festive: 46P / Wirtanen.
The 46P completes its orbit every 5 years and, most of the time, pbades for the first time far from the Earth. to be visible to us. Astronomers estimate that this pbadage will be closer to Earth in 70 years
On December 16, however, the comet could be seen here, according to the US Space Agency (NASA). For astronomy enthusiasts, it will bring a novelty: it will be the brightest comet to pbad near the planet in the last 20 years.
Even visible, the comet will be about 11.6 million kilometers from the Earth (more or less 30 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon.)
Although it sounds like a lot, the experts think that this can be seen with the naked eye
Excellent Viewing Conditions
Observers at Wetanen University's Comet in Maryland, at least in the United States, have excellent viewing conditions.
The university, which has an internet page dedicated to tracking the 46P, says the comet should be visible "almost all night." "
According to academics, the appearance of 2018 will be historic for a reason: it will be the tenth comet to get closer to the Earth in time.
Green and hyperactive
The" comet The color is recurrent in comets, such as Lovejoy and Machhol, and is due to its coma – the glowing cloud of gas and dust that surrounds it – it contains cyanogen and diatomic carbon, which glow green when they are ionized by sunlight.
The "Christmas comet" is also "overactive". "The effect is due to the fact that the 46P nucleus contains a large amount of Volatile ice that is warming up, "says the University of Maryland (19659002) and feeds coma, while the comet moves at a speed of 34,200 km / h.
The appearance of the 46P should have to be the most memorable since its discovery by Carl Wirtanen 70 years ago at Lick Observatory Mount Hamilton, California, January 17, 1948.
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