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Comet Jacques Brightens Rapidly, Heads North
On April 4, Comet C/2014 E2 Jacques had developed an ion or gas tail (extending to the lower right of the hazy coma) in addition to its dust tail. The coma also glows a faint green from fluorescing carbon compounds – all good signs that’s it’s becoming more active on its journey toward the sun. Credit: Damian Peach
We’ve got a hot comet on our hands. Comet Jacques barely cracked magnitude +11 at the time of its March 13 discovery, but just three weeks later, amateur astronomers have already spotted it in large binoculars at magnitude +9.5. Expert comet observer Michael Mattiazzo, who maintains the Southern Comets Homepage, predicts that if Comet Jacques continues its rapid rise in brightness, it might become faintly visible with the naked eye by July. (…)
Read the rest of Comet Jacques Brightens Rapidly, Heads North (520 words)
© Bob King for Universe Today, 2014. |
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Post tags: C/2014 E2 Jacques, coma, comet
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Source: http://www.universetoday.com/111022/comet-jacques-brightens-rapidly-heads-north/
