Look Out Of Your Window Now! Astronomical events.

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
There's a mad dash amongst the astronomical community to observe the recently discovered comet Borisov (I shit you not, that's its name !! :eek:) What's got astronomers in bother is that the orbital details of this thing suggests it has interstellar origins. It is coming in at a high angle to the orbital plane of the solar system, and moving at about 30 kilometres per second. Too fast to be a solar captive. It has now been classified as a comet because it's outgassing a tail. It will be closest to the Sun just beyond the orbit of Mars in late October and then sail off into the great black yonder never to be seen again.
A literal flash in the pan.

https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=C/2019 Q4;old=0;orb=1;cov=0;log=0;cad=0#orb
 

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
There's a mad dash amongst the astronomical community to observe the recently discovered comet Borisov (I shit you not, that's its name !! :eek:) What's got astronomers in bother is that the orbital details of this thing suggests it has interstellar origins. It is coming in at a high angle to the orbital plane of the solar system, and moving at about 30 kilometres per second. Too fast to be a solar captive. It has now been classified as a comet because it's outgassing a tail. It will be closest to the Sun just beyond the orbit of Mars in late October and then sail off into the great black yonder never to be seen again.
A literal flash in the pan.

https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=C/2019 Q4;old=0;orb=1;cov=0;log=0;cad=0#orb
290px-seek%3D20-It_Came_from_Outer_Space_trailer%281953%29.webm.jpg
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
It's official. Comet Borisov is an interstellar visitor rather than a local. (And by local I mean anything up to a light year or so !!) It will be around for a few months, will never get anywhere near the Earth and unless something dramatic happens, not be naked eye visible. It is the first interstellar comet ever observed and is thought to be between 2 and 10 miles in size. Given the speed it's travelling at that would make it a true planet killer but the closest it will get is far outside the orbit of Mars.

It's journey past the Sun will alter it's trajectory as it heads out into deep … and I mean deep … space, never to return.

Two interstellar objects within a couple of years means observation techniques are likely getting better and such visitors may be more common than previously thought. (Or, we are under attack but the aliens involved are just lousy shots. :heyhey: ) It was discovered by an amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov from the Crimea using his home made 25 inch telescope, which must be quite a beast !

If it changes course I'll let you know .. as that could mean we're in deep shit. :eek:

https://theskylive.com/planetarium?obj=c2019q4#ra|9.326743608596942|dec|24.595101012864|fov|62
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
It's official. Comet Borisov is an interstellar visitor rather than a local. (And by local I mean anything up to a light year or so !!) It will be around for a few months, will never get anywhere near the Earth and unless something dramatic happens, not be naked eye visible. It is the first interstellar comet ever observed and is thought to be between 2 and 10 miles in size. Given the speed it's travelling at that would make it a true planet killer but the closest it will get is far outside the orbit of Mars.

It's journey past the Sun will alter it's trajectory as it heads out into deep … and I mean deep … space, never to return.

Two interstellar objects within a couple of years means observation techniques are likely getting better and such visitors may be more common than previously thought. (Or, we are under attack but the aliens involved are just lousy shots. :heyhey: ) It was discovered by an amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov from the Crimea using his home made 25 inch telescope, which must be quite a beast !

If it changes course I'll let you know .. as that could mean we're in deep shit. :eek:

https://theskylive.com/planetarium?obj=c2019q4#ra|9.326743608596942|dec|24.595101012864|fov|62
You know it never occured to me that you invented the telescope.

Tell me, do you mount it on a tripod or a plinth?
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
Wow have you got your knickers in a twist. :buddy:

In the immortal words of Harry Enfield: "Kalm down Kalm down."

Think of your blood pressure. Perish the thought you'd stagger off the Plinth … (or could it be the Iron Throne.) :bum:
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
The Orionids Meteor Shower is due over the next couple of days. A trail of gunge left by Halley's Comet the origin of the shower is just above the left shoulder of the constellation Orion which is marked by the big red star Betelgeuse. Best observed at about 5am on 21st/22nd when Orion is due south and high in the sky (so you'll need to be a bit of an anorak to get up that early.) I only mention this because we've got some high pressure weather forecast, so the skies JUST might be clear.

I'll put up a screenshot from Red Shift to show a position.

Orionids.jpg
 

Mikinton

Well-Known Forumite
The Orionids Meteor Shower is due over the next couple of days. A trail of gunge left by Halley's Comet the origin of the shower is just above the left shoulder of the constellation Orion which is marked by the big red star Betelgeuse. Best observed at about 5am on 21st/22nd when Orion is due south and high in the sky (so you'll need to be a bit of an anorak to get up that early.) I only mention this because we've got some high pressure weather forecast, so the skies JUST might be clear.

I'll put up a screenshot from Red Shift to show a position.

View attachment 7466
Let's hope it's not obscured by any attack ships on fire.
 
Last edited:

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
On Monday November 11th there is a transit of Mercury across the face of the Sun. I'll put a link in to get details, but any kind of search will bring it up. These events are quite rare. It is NOT naked eye visible, and I've emphasised that because you should NEVER look at the Sun with the naked eye, and certainly NOT with any kind of visual aid that isn't fitted with top quality filters.
Mercury is a small iron ball that orbits closest to the Sun so not a happy world … unless you've got a couple of hundred gallons of Sunblock Ten Million. The weather forecast right now is reasonable, and I have a filter on a spotter scope I've mounted on a tripod, so I might see it. I sure as hell wont see another.

https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2019/11/08/get-ready-for-the-transit-of-mercury/
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
Tricky bit of timing as cloud moved in from the west just about as the Mercury transit was starting. But got it for a few minutes as the Sun slipped in and out of cloud cover … and there was Mercury, little black dot coming onto the Sun at about 8 O Clock (Spotter scope doesn't invert.) First time I've ever observed it directly, and will likely be the last. Tried for a pix but the spotter scope isn't really suitable for a hand held camera. Just got a blurry Sun. Now fully overcast. :hmm:
Quite chuffed. :cool:

Scope.jpg
Scope2.jpg
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
Rare event due in the early hours of Friday morning as the Earth passes near the dust trail of a long gone unknown comet. It's only happened four times in nearly a century. Sadly, weather forecast here is el crappo.

https://www.spaceweather.com/
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
If you get a clear spell in the southwestern sky after sunset tonight (yeah, I know .. unlikely :( ) there's a bit of a show on. A thin crescent Moon, Jupiter and Venus close together, and a little further up Saturn. Pluto is also there, but you're going to need Superman's eyes to see that. You should get it tomorrow night as well, but the weather doesn't look good.
https://www.spaceweather.com/images2019/27nov19/skymap_27nov19.png
 
Top