February 2009: Comet Lulin's tail terminates / disconnects - ( first visit to inner solar system )

[Sipper0]

i wanna see it but it is too cloudy D:

[DatNiggueNamedYat]

must have been crazy to see from mars

[solarcradle]

Dat's :) an excellent point. As seen from the JPL NEO simulator, during Lulin's approach to our inner solar system the comet looks much closer to Mars than it was earth. Nov 2008, comet lulin was nearest to mars.

[unaka2012]

Great mashup! I grabbed a few shots with my d60.

[solarcradle]

Nice! Do you have a link to your pictures? I can't get enough. :)

If you haven't seen it, visit spaceweatherdotcom on Feb 24 or 25th and hit the play it! link below THE GREAT GREEN Q-TIP post. WOW! Thanks to Filipe Alves from Portugal, we have this spectacular view of Comet Lulin's filaments. I'm impressed. It's a must see!

[Airsoft4989]

what time can i see it in illinois ive been sitting here looking out my window for like 5 hours

[solarcradle]

Hello Airsoft. First grab yourself a lens because comet lulin is a faint patch of dust to the unaided eye. Try looking south to south west. Find the bright star Saturn in the southerly to western sky. Comet lulin is passing Saturn today. Good Luck.

[Airsoft4989]

so do you mean 2/23/09 or 2/24/09 as today because its 5:00AM here

[solarcradle]

Hi Airsoft.

Both! :) The comet is at it's closest approach to earth today. Lulin is approx. 38 million miles away from earth. You can continue to view Lulin through a lens until the comet leaves our inner solar system.

[solarcradle]

As you can see from the orbit diagram, the orbit is suggested to take place along those narrow co-ordinates. I just want to point out that the ION plasma tail is an expanding cloud of gas and interstellar dust millions of miles long. Earth is or will be crossing through the outskirts and eventually innards of Lulin's tail debris. I believe meteorologists and earth scientists will be realizing more of Lulin's earth weather affects closer to the end of Feb, beginning of March.

[solarcradle]

Hello footballgennady28.

You can find Comet Lulin if you find brightly lit Saturn. Look towards the South to South-West night sky. With the unaided eye, observers have noted that Comet Lulin appears as a spec of gas dust. You may want to use a viewing lens for this event.

If you need more information about where to find Lulin, visit spaceweatherdotcom and browse the sky map.

[footballgennady28]

What time will I be able to see it in Bangkok, Thailand. Please help ...

Thanks.

[McBeNnY09]

you who dont belive you will you who think we r crazy for beliving in nibiru you are about to know the truth we are on the brink ov it all comin the media are telling us in a subliminal way and you just dont get it if any one thinks that earth is the only thing wiv life on it. your the one that are crazy and small minded. ITS TIME TO WAKE UP THERE IS THINGS HAPPENIN THAT YOU CANT IGNOR ITS THERE AND ITS COMING ,ITS TIME FOR THE SHOW TO BEGIN

[solarcradle]

Nice!

I have a little amateur Orion AstroView 90mm EQ Refractor. Stars remain like stars, which could be planets. :D Although the moon and internet are good to me, there's nothing like seeing it first hand.

[IntoTheLenz]

Nice upload. I have seen Lulin 2 times with my 25x100's