Latest news with #SolarWindAnisotropies
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Bright green Comet SWAN falls apart after once-in-a-lifetime appearance in our night sky
Another comet has fascinated skygazers but has already sung its swan song after approaching the Sun. Comet SWAN (C/2025 F2) was discovered in March with the Solar Wind Anisotropies (SWAN) instrument on Nasa's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft, hence why SWAN is in the comet's name. Since its discovery, hundreds of observations of the comet have been logged into the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center from observatories around the world. Why The Closest Supermoon Of The Year Will Be Invisible To Earth Comet SWAN was set to reach perihelion, the closest distance to the Sun, around May 1, raising hopes the possibility of unaided-eye viewing could be on the table later this month. But recent observations show the comet didn't make it past the final approach. "It looks like there's not much left of it, and it seems to be just clouded dust at this point that's gradually getting more diffuse and flying apart," said Dr. Qicheng Zhang, a post-doctoral astronomer at Lowell Observatory in Arizona. Zhang studies comets that get very close to the Sun, known as sun-grazers, such as Comet C/2024 G3 ATLA's approach in January. Comet SWAN was a smaller comet and Zhang said this is likely the factor that led to its early end. See It: Lyrid Meteor Shower Peaks In Dazzling Worldwide Display "The thing with small comets is that they tend to get spun up really easily by just random variations in their outgassing," he said. "When the ice on them starts to sublimate and create gas. It tends to not come out perfectly symmetrically. And that asymmetry starts to like, torque the thing and just spin it up." As a comet spins up, it starts to fall apart, which is likely what is happening to Comet SWAN now before it ceases to be an active comet. Comet SWAN has been observed by professional and amateur astronomers worldwide with its notable green coloring. Zhang said this coloring is likely from diatomic carbon. "Comets have a lot of organic material. When you toss it out into space, you get UV rays from the Sun that hit those complicated organic molecules, which happen to contain a lot of carbon. And when they get broken down, you'll get pieces that contain essentially just two carbon atoms stuck together. And that's essentially just the green that we see in these comets," Zhang said. The comet's orbital period is 1.4 million years, so even if it survived perihelion, it would be the last chance to see it in our lifetime. So long, Comet article source: Bright green Comet SWAN falls apart after once-in-a-lifetime appearance in our night sky
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
This newly found green comet may not have survived its trek past the sun
A glowing green comet discovered last month likely did not survive its recent trip past the sun, leaving it impossible to see with the naked eye. Comet C/2025 F2, also known as Comet SWAN, was discovered in late March and named after the Solar Wind Anisotropies (SWAN) instrument aboard NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory spacecraft, according to the Planetary Society. The organization, which was founded by astronomer Carl Sagan and is run by CEO Bill Nye 'the Science Guy,' stated in an April 10 report that the comet appeared brighter in the wake of its discovery. While there was hope it would soon become visible to the naked eye, it could break apart when it reached its closest point to the sun, known as perihelion. Comet SWAN could have been easier to spot with an upcoming new moon on April 27, the Planetary Society added. But by Monday, astrophysicist Karl Battams with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory told The Associated Press that after the comet's passage by the sun, all that will remain is 'just a dusty rubble pile.' This might have been the object's first ever trip past the sun, making it particularly vulnerable to breaking apart, Battams said. After its flyby, what's left of the comet will disappear into the outer reaches of the solar system, past where scientists think it came from. 'It's going to go so far out that we have no idea if it's ever going to return,' said Battams. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Here's what a Beatles song and a fossil have to do with a NASA mission to study asteroids 4 planets align in early-morning sky: How and where to spot them Could Mass. see the northern lights in the night sky on Wednesday? Get ready for shooting stars: Lyrid meteor shower to illuminate night sky Remember when Pluto was a planet? Here's 10 photos NASA took of the dwarf planet
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Newly discovered Comet SWAN makes once-in-a-lifetime appearance before brush with Sun
A newly discovered comet is fascinating astronomers and amateur stargazers alike as it remains a brightening feature in the northeast night sky. Comet SWAN (C/2025 F2) was discovered in March with the Solar Wind Anisotropies (SWAN) instrument on Nasa's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft, hence why SWAN is in the comet's name. The comet has an orbital period of 1.4 million years, so it won't be in our neighborhood again – at least in this lifetime. Since its discovery, hundreds of observations of the comet have been logged into the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center from observatories around the world. Comet Pays Once-in-160,000-year Visit To Earth's Nighttime Skies Astronomers have been capturing its bright green light in the sky and signature comet tail. Astrophotographer Chuck Ayoub captured Comet SWAN on April 10 using a Celestron telescope in Texas. Comet SWAN will fly at its closest to the Sun on May 1, known as perihelion, and either survive this encounter or get blasted into smithereens. If Comet SWAN survives this brush with the Sun, it will then head out into space and won't be back in Earth's night sky for 1.4 million years. Comet ATLAS C/2024 G3 fell apart in January after a rare very close approach to the Sun. The SWAN comet has gotten brighter since its discovery, according to The Planetary Society. The catch is that right now the comet is not yet bright enough to see with the naked eye, so those with telescopes or binoculars have the best chances. A trip to your local observatory may be in order to see this. However, the comet continues to brighten, and the possibility of unaided-eye viewing could be on the table later this month. In mid-April, the comet is visible before sunrise along the northeast horizon. By the end of the month, the comet could appear in the evening hours. A new Moon on April 27 could also help viewing chances if Comet SWAN increases in brightness. Now through the end of April, Comet SWAN appears in the morning sky in the Northern Hemisphere. In May, those in the Southern Hemisphere will have the best view of Comet article source: Newly discovered Comet SWAN makes once-in-a-lifetime appearance before brush with Sun
Axios
10-04-2025
- Science
- Axios
Morning skies host new green comet
Early risers may be in store for a celestial treat: a brand-new comet is streaking through our morning sky. Driving the news: Comet SWAN25F is currently visible through binoculars low on the east-northeastern horizon just before sunrise. The comet was discovered last month by amateur astronomers using publicly available images from the SWAN (Solar Wind Anisotropies) camera system aboard NASA's SOHO spacecraft, which monitors solar activity. Zoom in: To find it, look near Alpheratz, the brightest star in the Great Square of Pegasus. The comet is heading toward Andromeda and will pass near Alpheratz around April 13, according to EarthSky. Context: It glows green thanks to sunlight reacting with carbon molecules in its coma, a common feature of comets making their way toward the sun, per Sky & Telescope. By then, it could shift to sunset viewing, per EarthSky, making for a spectacular sight if skies cooperate.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
There's a new comet in the sky, and it's already visible through binoculars
One of the great things about astronomy is that it's full of surprises, especially when it comes to comets — you just can't predict when a new one might pop up. But when one does appear, it gets both amateur and professional astronomers very excited. And that's why there's a lot of buzz around a recently discovered comet that is now visible through binoculars, if you know where to look. The comet is so new that it doesn't yet have an official designation, which is provided by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center (MPC). For now it goes by the name SWAN25F. It's named in part after the SWAN (Solar Wind Anisotropies) camera on board NASA and the European Space Agency's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft. It should get an official name soon. The comet was discovered by Australian amateur astronomer Michael Mattiazzo, who used SWAN images available to the public. He previously used the same method to discover a comet in 2020. Right now, the SWAN25F can be found in the early morning sky low in the eastern horizon, in the constellation Pegasus. But over the next few weeks, as the comet moves through our solar system, it will rise a little higher in the morning sky. The comet is so new that the MPC is waiting for additional observations to get more information from it, such as its origin. However, Paul Wiegert, a professor at Western University's department of physics and astronomy in London, Ont., said that at the moment, its believed to come from the furthest reaches of our solar system, called the Oort cloud, where hundreds of millions — or even trillions — of icy objects reside. SWAN25F, seen here, was photographed by amateur astronomer Rolando Ligustri using a remote telescope in Utah. (Rolandro Ligustri) The Oort cloud is mind-blowingly far away. The distance from the sun to Earth is roughly 150 million kilometres, and that measurement is called one astronomical unit (AU). The distance from the sun to the Oort cloud is estimated to be anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000 AU. When and how to see it If you'd like to see this ancient relic left over from the formation of our solar system, you need a few things. First, you need to get up early. SWAN25F is currently low on the eastern horizon and visible before sunrise. You can download astronomy apps on your phone that will allow you to search for particular constellations — in this case, Pegasus. Second, you need a pair of binoculars. At the moment, the comet isn't visible to the naked eye. It's currently at magnitude 8. Visually, the naked eye can only see magnitude 6 in dark-sky locations (in astronomy, brightness is on a scale where lower and negative numbers signify brighter objects). (CBC News) Third, you need a bit of luck. SWAN25F reached its closest point to the sun, called perihelion, some time in February. Now, it's heading toward us, which is in part why it's getting brighter. But whether or not that brightness will continue is unknown. Astronomers are hoping it will become visible to the naked eye by the end of the month. "We expect it to get brighter, not because it's necessarily getting more solar heating and being more active and producing more of the gasses that we see, but our geometry relative to it, we're going to get closer to it," Wiegert said. "And all of those details are going to work in its favour. So we're hoping that it's going to get quite a bit brighter over the next month or so." And that luck also extends to having clear skies. If the comet does continue to remain intact and not break apart as some do — though it's passed the most dangerous time for this to happen, when its closest to the sun — it should continue to both brighten in the sky and rise higher in the next three weeks. Amateur astronomer Dan Bartlett imaged SWAN25F from June Lake, Cali., (Dan Bartlett) But be warned: the comet won't look like the photos you see online, or even in this story. Those images are made by shooting multiple photographs through telescopes and combining them together. Instead, what you'll see through your binoculars will be a faint fuzzy patch of light. And while that may not seem very exciting, just think about how far that object has travelled. "A new comet is always exciting. They appear unexpectedly. They're quite beautiful. They do tell us a lot, too, about our solar system, and about how the planets formed," Wiegert said. "So, you know, it's a sort of a beautiful addition to our springtime skies."
