Bonecrusher Posted December 29, 2012 #26 Share Posted December 29, 2012 I am waiting for the crazies and doomsday preachers to come out of the woodwork on this one(remember Heavans Gate).... perhaps even planet Nibiru followers It'll be a shame if they do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawken Posted December 30, 2012 #27 Share Posted December 30, 2012 I wonder if this event will spawn a host of doomsday scenarios ... as in, oh my, the Mayan's were a year off in their calculations. It will spawn a bunch of millionaires from books and dvds as 12/21/12 did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthurion2 Posted December 30, 2012 #28 Share Posted December 30, 2012 (edited) why don't they tell us this stuff in, oh i don't know, october 2013? i will forget all about it by then. Edited December 30, 2012 by Xanthurion2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted December 30, 2012 #29 Share Posted December 30, 2012 (edited) why don't they tell us this stuff in, oh i don't know, october 2013? i will forget all about it by then. And your bad memory is the fault of astronomers how exactly? They can't win, if they don't release information straight away we have one lot of people claiming it is a conspiracy. If they do release the information straight away they have to deal with people that aren't prepared to think for themselves. If this comet is as bright as the best case scenarios predict then you won't need to remember, you will just need to follow three basic steps. Wait until it is dark. Go outside. Look up. Edited December 30, 2012 by Waspie_Dwarf 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthurion2 Posted December 30, 2012 #30 Share Posted December 30, 2012 thanks for the hospitality. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROGER Posted December 30, 2012 #31 Share Posted December 30, 2012 That's just the way people are. And the heads up now will keep folks looking for updates of any course deviations. I know I will be outside looking at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted December 30, 2012 #32 Share Posted December 30, 2012 thanks for the hospitality. It was not my intention to upset you, however you have to admit that complaining because information was released straight away is bizarre to say the least. My other comments were intended to be light hearted but make a valid point. If this comet lives up to expectations you won't need to remember it, it will be unmissable and is likely to grab a lot of media attention closer to the time, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash68 Posted December 30, 2012 #33 Share Posted December 30, 2012 They saw this one really late so there maybe another one just behind it and out of sight heading right for us!!!! So the Mayans were a year out,not bad considering the didn't have an electronic calculator. This is pure speculation obviously...........or is it?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27vet Posted December 30, 2012 #34 Share Posted December 30, 2012 I remember doing scenic flights for a comet, forget which one, a passenger asked if we would see it better since we were closer than people on the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paracelse Posted December 30, 2012 #35 Share Posted December 30, 2012 I'll be looking forwars to seeing it You wouldn't be "CuriousGreek" if you didn't 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CuriousGreek Posted December 30, 2012 #36 Share Posted December 30, 2012 You wouldn't be "CuriousGreek" if you didn't True, lol! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Greenman Posted December 30, 2012 Author #37 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Thanks Waspie, I respect your judgement, I'll wait and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starseed hybrid 1111 Posted December 30, 2012 #38 Share Posted December 30, 2012 thats cool the comet because i never seen one i hear about them and shooting stars but i never seen them for myself!i hope it last the comet and i'm looking forward to it.outer space is really amazing and interesting.i like the ESA agency way better than NASA and russian astronomers are awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daughter of the Nine Moons Posted December 30, 2012 #39 Share Posted December 30, 2012 stevewinn mentioned Hale-Bopp. That is a good example of the unpredictability of comets. Hale-Bopp brightened whilst still a long way from the sun. However it's brightening slowed considerably, leading many to think that it may not be as spectacular as first thought. Then it got to close to the sun to be observed. When it returned it had brightened considerably and was spectacular. But there was another comet that was seen to be very bright whilst still at a great distance from the sun, Comet Kohoutek in 1973. Like Hale-Bopp this was expected to be a great comet, even being described as "the Comet of the Century". It was no such thing. Kohoutek disintegrated as it came close to the sun and was only just visible to the naked eye. Whether Ison is a Kohoutek or a Hale-Bopp, only time will tell. *crosses fingers for another Hale-Bopp* I want my little guy to see a Great Comet If this comet is as bright as the best case scenarios predict then you won't need to remember, you will just need to follow three basic steps. Wait until it is dark. Go outside. Look up. I love Waspie quotes i like the ESA agency way better than NASA and russian astronomers are awesome. That's kind of a silly statement isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted December 30, 2012 #40 Share Posted December 30, 2012 They saw this one really late No they didn't. They first observed this comet in September 2012, a full 13 months before it's closest approach to the sun. It was still beyond Jupiter when it wqas discovered meaning this comet was discovered really early. so there maybe another one just behind it and out of sight heading right for us!!!! You can't hide one comet behind another, orbital mechanics don't allow it. If it was just behind Ison it would be not be out of sight as it would be in the same region of the sky. If it was following Ison it would be on a similar orbital path to Ison and would therefore not come close to the Earth. So the Mayans were a year out,not bad considering the didn't have an electronic calculator. Except that the Mayans never predicted the end of the world, it's just some nonsense believed by the terminally gullible. This is pure speculation obviously...........or is it?? I think calling a post which contains not a single correct fact "speculation" would to be flattering it somewhat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idano Posted December 30, 2012 #41 Share Posted December 30, 2012 I hate to be the bringer of bad news but there are two things that need to be considered: Comets are notoriously difficult to predict. Newspaper headlines are notoriously sensationalist. The "brighter than a full moon" prediction is a best case scenario. It is highly likely that, like so many comets before, this will be a damp squib. How bright it is depends on how much dust and gas evaporate from the cometary nucleus as the comets nears the sun, and we just won't know that until nearer the time. stevewinn mentioned Hale-Bopp. That is a good example of the unpredictability of comets. Hale-Bopp brightened whilst still a long way from the sun. However it's brightening slowed considerably, leading many to think that it may not be as spectacular as first thought. Then it got to close to the sun to be observed. When it returned it had brightened considerably and was spectacular. But there was another comet that was seen to be very bright whilst still at a great distance from the sun, Comet Kohoutek in 1973. Like Hale-Bopp this was expected to be a great comet, even being described as "the Comet of the Century". It was no such thing. Kohoutek disintegrated as it came close to the sun and was only just visible to the naked eye. Whether Ison is a Kohoutek or a Hale-Bopp, only time will tell. Thanks alot smarty pants Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyridium Posted December 31, 2012 #42 Share Posted December 31, 2012 The Sept 2012 sighting just raised a few flags which led to the search for archived photos of the same sky. They did indeed find Ison in a photo dated March 2012 and another photo dated late 2011. The Sept 2012 sighting did not allow for much calculations, but after finding these previous sightings, the numbers were easy to crunch and thus the accurate prediction of speed and direction. We have been taking photos of the night sky for a very long time now and I am sure we have captured some valuable data only to be unlocked one day in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesspy Posted December 31, 2012 #43 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Lol maybe the Mayan calendar is based on this comet. Do we know how long its cycle is yet? If its 26000 years that would explain the calendar maybe lol. A feathered serpent could be referring to a comet. Either way it would be great to see. Do we know yet if people in the southern hemisphere will be able to see it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abramelin Posted December 31, 2012 #44 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Lol maybe the Mayan calendar is based on this comet. Do we know how long its cycle is yet? If its 26000 years that would explain the calendar maybe lol. A feathered serpent could be referring to a comet. Either way it would be great to see. Do we know yet if people in the southern hemisphere will be able to see it? Who knows? The Maya Calendar starts at 3113 BCE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinguin Posted January 1, 2013 #45 Share Posted January 1, 2013 I'll just mark this on my calendar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrLzs Posted January 1, 2013 #46 Share Posted January 1, 2013 As Waspie said, guessing about comets is just prone to complete failure - small differences in trajectory and the amount of outgassing (which depends mainly on the composition of the object) can make the difference between being bright, or being effectively invisible.. So, just wait and hope.. One small correction - don't look 'up', as it will more likely be seen near the horizon shortly after sunset or before dawn. BTW, when the last good'un showed up down under (Comet McNaught), I took a whole pile of images, but my favorite one was when a group of amateurs plonked themselves right in front of my viewing position and used phones, cameras and torches to destroy their/my night vision while trying to setup a cheap reflecting telescope (which is not a great way to view a comet..). But the result made for an interesting image, so who's complaining..! To Abramelin.. ... ...{Link to hoax site - 'Weekly World News' removed}... ... First: this is the only source with this news; That didn't ring alarm bells? How about the other headlines, Like 'Kardashian's Butt Explodes'? It's a fake news site. There is no Asteroid 2014AZ5 - there can't be, as they are named after the year of discovery. It's not 2014 yet... Please, Abramelin, take that site off your Favorites... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abramelin Posted January 1, 2013 #47 Share Posted January 1, 2013 To Abramelin.. That didn't ring alarm bells? How about the other headlines, Like 'Kardashian's Butt Explodes'? It's a fake news site. There is no Asteroid 2014AZ5 - there can't be, as they are named after the year of discovery. It's not 2014 yet... Please, Abramelin, take that site off your Favorites... Of course it rang alarm bells,lol. But I found out a zillion sites had already copied it, so I thought it would be a good idea to bring it up here, and then add my doubts about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ealdwita Posted January 1, 2013 #48 Share Posted January 1, 2013 The best view I ever had of a comet was in Singapore in 1966. It was many years afterwards I discovered it to be Ikeya–Seki, apparently the brightest comet seen for a thousand years! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jylppy Posted January 4, 2013 #49 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Here is image taken 2.1.2012 and simulation video. http://c2012s1.info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libstaK Posted January 4, 2013 #50 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Lol maybe the Mayan calendar is based on this comet. Do we know how long its cycle is yet? If its 26000 years that would explain the calendar maybe lol. A feathered serpent could be referring to a comet. Either way it would be great to see. Do we know yet if people in the southern hemisphere will be able to see it? If it is going to be around for approx a month in the direction of the setting sun, the whole world will get a chance to see it - I hope. As to the doomsayers, yep they'll be jumping all over this, I can see it now. "The Mayan calendar was too eroded for us to notice before but there is a year zero before the year 1 of the 26,000 year cycle, so the calculations are off by a year". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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