A strange Comet is coming.

[Paul D]

Hey all,

Here is something to be on the look out for. Yet something new on the horizon for us astronomers.. I dont believe the links will work on our BB so visit Spaceweather.com for the story, images and links about this strange comet.

Paul...

All info taken from Spaceweather.com.

APPROACHING PUZZLE: Comet 2P/Encke is approaching Earth and it's bringing a puzzle. On Feb. 22nd, veteran comet observer Mike Holloway of Van Buren, Arkansas, photographed 2P/Encke. See below. The comet is the fuzzy blob in the middle--but what are those strange "spikes" sticking out either side?

"It does not resemble any comet tail I've ever seen," says Holloway. Instead of a tail, he suggests, maybe it's a trail. Encke is a prodigious source of dust, which litters the comet's orbit. So much dust reflects sunlight, and that should make the comet's orbit--or "trail"--shine faintly in the night sky. Indeed, the spikes in Holloway's photo do seem well-aligned with Encke's orbit.

It all makes sense except for one thing: The trail should be too faint for Holloway's 5-inch telescope. The last time Encke's trail was seen, in 2002, astronomers needed a 16-hour exposure on Kitt Peak's 2.3-meter telecope to find it: report. A 7-minute exposure on a backyard telescope should not be adequate--yet there it is.

Soon we'll get a closer look. Encke, currently 14th magnitude and 1.9 AU away, is approaching the inner solar system for a mid-April flyby of the Sun. In early April, Encke's distance to Earth will shrink to less than 1.3 AU and the comet will become an easy 6th or 7th magnitude target for backyard telescopes.

Skilled observers should start watching now. Encke is located in the constellation Pisces to the right of Venus at sunset. More photos may solve the puzzle before the comet arrives. [finder chart] [ephemeris] [3D orbit]

UPDATE: The same "spikes" were detected by astrophotographers Michael Jager and Gerald Rhemann on Feb. 17th: image

[Rotorhead]

This is going to be a great mystery to try to solve, Paul. I'm wondering if we are seeing a fan-shaped tail edge-on. Whatever it is, certainly Encke has been studied enough. It is one of the fastest-returning periodic comets. I hope this is enough of a mystery that they will turn one of the big guns toward it for an in-depth look.

[ASSNE Prime]

Cool Paul, thanks for the heads-up!
It is bizzarre looking, hopefully I'll have better luck seeing it than I did McNot

[WCGucfa]

Paul,

Thanks very much! On the day I don't look at Spaceweather this pops up!
My camera is ready!
I've been waiting anxiously for the next "bright enough" comet and you give us the heads-up on one with a mystery. Yes!!


Bill

[ASSNE Prime]

Am I correct it doesn't look like this will be a naked eye comet?
Bruce <----- (no LX200 at the moment)

[Galactus]

Thanks, Paul, for the heads up.

I had noticed the article you cite and had loaded the latest Comet TLEs into my LX90 handbox this past weekend. I note that there are also three new--or perhaps I should say three more (but usually they're new)--additions to the Observable Comet list since I updated in January.

I am happy that everyone else seems excited about Comet 2P/Encke. As a well-observed comet, I thought there might be ho-hum reactions, but I am glad we all seem excited--hopefully this will be more visible and long-lasting than McNaught.

[WCGucfa]

Bruce,

Encke is a little less than 13th mag. right now and will easily reach 6th or 7th mag. in April. I hope it still has its "spikes" at that time.

Bill