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tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,383

Comet Comets Observations Probe Visits

For SpaceNut ... it appears we did not have a topic dedicated to Comets ...

The daily Mars Calendar update includes a visit to TheSkyLive.com.

TheSkyLive.com shows the position of Mars with respect to the star scape as seen from Earth.

Today (2022/03/12) a comet is included in the display.

Comet C/2021 E3 (ZTF)

I'd appreciate a more detailed report on this comet, if someone has the time.

Specifically, that fact that the comet is now showing up in the sky field near Mars does ** NOT ** mean the comet is anywhere near Mars, or that it will pass near Mars, or the Earth for that matter.

I'd be interested to know how close to Mars it will actually travel, and even ** more ** interested to know if it will pass near Earth.

A comet (and probably this one) would be a great source of water and other materials for space related activities, such as propulsion.

We humans are probably going to miss the opportunity to harvest this comet, but eventually I have no doubt comet harvesting will become a major economic activity.

(th)

Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,776

Re: Comet Comets Observations Probe Visits

Thanks for the discussion. We don't have a thread on this topic.

We had a Rosetta discussion here on the ESA's mission

and NASA's
Deep Impact Comet mission
http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=3432

Palomar / Cindy used to cover some of the folklore and biblical and historical stuff on Astronomy going across Europe and Asia wondering if legends had truth to them, if what humans wrote and recorded was accurate, I remember she talked about Arabia, Europe, Asia and Native American legends she had a topic on the Celts and 207 b.c. Roman authors recording a comet.

I'd appreciate a more detailed report on this comet, if someone has the time.
(th)

Amateur Photographers and people in Local Astronomy clubs have already made reports

One guy seems to have access to a site or telescope complex, Heaven's Mirror Observatory  seems to be in NSW clear conditions with clear Aussie nights

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/8054 … 1-leonard/

https://theskysearchers.com/viewtopic.php?t=22443

There are also people on social media, normal people and not the type who smoke something weird and see UFOs...astronomy people who report what they see in the skies
https://twitter.com/TheAuroraSummit/sta … 6507693073

2021 report 'I could see the C/2021 A1 (Leonard) comet before it goes for good. I knew it would be at about the same altitude as Venus after sunset, so if I see Venus,'

03 January 2022
'Scope: Takahashi FSQ-106ED
Camera: FLI PL16803 '

Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2022-03-12 08:23:05)

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,383

Re: Comet Comets Observations Probe Visits

For Mars_B4_Moon ... thanks for the ** very ** nice follow up on C/2021 A1 (Leonard)!  I get the impression it is on it's way out of the system.  However, this topic is available for discovery/reporting of ** new ** comet approaches.

The goal I have in mind is harvesting these rich resource bundles, and knowing they are approaching is helpful for planning an intercept mission.

Turning one of these bundles of goodies into economic value on Earth will be challenging, but it should be well within the capability of humans in the current epoch.

I don't see any value of the material on Earth, except for scientific purposes.

Value ** away ** from Earth (LEO and outward) is a different proposition.

Water makes a terrific propellant when "treated" with sunlight, and there's plenty of sunlight available in Earth's distance from the Sun.

It seems likely other materials are present in comets, and (I would think) that ** any ** atom would be useful in the early stages of expansion from Earth.

I'm leaving an opening here if anyone would like to post about the (possible/likely) contents of comets.

(th)

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,383

Re: Comet Comets Observations Probe Visits

We appear to have a hefty comet inbound .... it would be quite valuable if it could be harvested ....

Last year, the monstrous Bernardinelli-Bernstein comet (also known as C/2014 UN271) was discovered by the eponymous University of Pennsylvania astronomers Gary Bernstein and Pedro Bernardinelli. The pair called it the “nearly spherical cow of comets” in their paper about the discovery, but it wasn’t long until the world dubbed it the “megacomet” for being an absolute unit of a space object.

https://www.bing.com/news/search?q=Turn … &FORM=EWRE

I'd like to see some serious attention to the potential value of this randomly circulating resource, and a corresponding effort to launch a scouting robot probe.

(th)

Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,776

Re: Comet Comets Observations Probe Visits

Exo-Comets

Discovery Alert: 30 'Exocomets' Orbit a Familiar Star
https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/news/1705/d … liar-star/

To photograph comet Neowise, it takes patience and placement
https://infotel.ca/newsitem/to-photogra … nt/it75437
It's named for the NASA spacecraft, Neowise, that first spotted it.

'only visible from Earth once every 6,800 years'

Unfortunate Comet Flies Too Close to the Sun, Disintegrates and Becomes a Ghost
https://futurism.com/comet-leonard-clos … integrated
Comet, dubbed Leonard

Discovery by amateur astronomer Hideo Nishimura
https://unistellaroptics.com/comet-nishimura/

Masani Nagata: The Farmer Who Discovered a Comet
http://www.discovernikkei.org/ja/journa … mi-nagata/

Hubble Confirms Megacomet Bound for Inner Solar System Is Largest Ever Seen
https://www.scientificamerican.com/arti … ever-seen/

Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2022-05-07 10:03:06)