[meteorite-list] Comet Outburst from C/2006 M4 (SWAN)

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Oct 25 20:33:07 2006
Message-ID: <200610260033.RAA03960_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

Space Weather News for Oct. 25, 2006
http://spaceweather.com

COMET OUTBURST: Astronomers report that Comet Swan has suddenly
increased in brightness 4-fold, from magnitude +6 to +4.5. This
makes it a naked-eye object in dark skies and a lovely sight
through backyard telescopes. The cause of the outburst: A new
vein of volatile ice may have opened up in the comet's nucleus.
Solar heating transforms this freshly-exposed material into
streams of bright, reflective gas and dust. Indeed, backyard
telescopes seem to show new tendrils of gaseous material in the
comet's long tail.

Visit http://spaceweather.com for sky maps, images and more information.
Received on Wed 25 Oct 2006 08:33:03 PM PDT