Comet Borisov - hope for us all?

[Mr niall]

I was reading the following article:

https://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/possible-interstellar-comet-headed-our-way/

A man called Borisov discovered a comet. Lovely stuff! Borisov works at an observatory. Super.

But what has really foxed me is that it looks like he caught this comet using what appears to be a sort of richest field dob. At 650mm it looks like a fairly specialist instrument. But he made it himself which is pretty cool and from the photos of the scope - and the photo's of the comet itself - it looks a lot like it was captured using an untracked mount.

So essentially an observer, with an amateur scope, that they made themselves, without tracking, captured a comet. I'd guess he's probably still using a capture and plate solving software based solution rather than the ole "George Alcock" method - but still, in 2019 that's pretty amazing. I thought NASA had fleets of satellites up there doing the same thing and he's beaten them all to it.

Gives us all hope!

 

 

[PeterW]

First time probably pristine object going pretty fast... sit back and get the popcorn, we got little idea how it will behave... boom or bust! Great to comets detected by people and great to see another hyperbolic object too... there’s so much we still don’t know.

peter

[Alien 13]

I think this one has our name on it, eastern Europe is my prediction but its a planet killer so dont matter.................

Alan

[Nigeyboy]

From what I have read, they estimate the nucleus to have a 20km diameter!! Does anyone know when perihelion will be?

D'oh - just read the link! sorry!!

Edited September 13, 2019 by Nigeyboy

[Paul M]

Here's a link to an existing thread.

Sounds very exciting but no idea if it will be widely available to average amateur scopes. 

Initial solutions for the "orbit" are so hyperbolic that it's really just a straight through path that the Sun will put a kink in!

 

[maw lod qan]

Thanks for posting this information. Even though I consider myself an amateur amateur astronomer, I really enjoy the chance to increase my knowledge and so many here on the SGL give me that opportunity.

The link was very interesting reading, and to my surprise I understood it.

[StarryEyed]

Minor Planet Centre

https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K19/K19RA6.html

I got really excited so looked it up in Sky Safari.

From SE UK

Then I realised how faint it might be and got depressed. Then I thought maybe I would look anyway as it might brighten and got excited again. Bit low down in the sky.

 

[Greymouser]

On 12/09/2019 at 21:49, Alien 13 said:

I think this one has our name on it, eastern Europe is my prediction but its a planet killer so dont matter.................

Alan

Here you go Alan, knock yourself out with this website, concerning explosive events, see what effect a smaller fragment could do. https://www.purdue.edu/impactearth

[maw lod qan]

On 12/09/2019 at 16:49, Alien 13 said:

I think this one has our name on it, eastern Europe is my prediction but its a planet killer so dont matter.................

Alan

In the middle of the night, I woke thinking of the 6th possibility this might be.

I couldn't go back to sleep!

Necromongers!! Definitely a planet killer.😮

The comet always proceeds their coming!

Please tell me we have a Furion warrior here at SGL.

I'm watching The Chronicles of RIDDICK again now, hoping to get prepared.😁