Newly Spotted Comet May Shine Among Brightest In History

Reader intellitech points to an article at National Geographic, from which he excerpts: "If astronomers' early predictions hold true, the holidays next year may hold a glowing gift for stargazers—a superbright comet, just discovered streaking near Saturn. Even with powerful telescopes, comet 2012 S1 (ISON) is now just a faint glow in the constellation Cancer. But the ball of ice and rocks might become visible to the naked eye for a few months in late 2013 and early 2014—perhaps outshining the moon, astronomers say. The comet is already remarkably bright, given how far it is from the sun, astronomer Raminder Singh Samra said. What's more, 2012 S1 seems to be following the path of the Great Comet of 1680, considered one of the most spectacular ever seen from Earth."

Comments

I'll believe it when I see it

[93 Escort Wagon]

I'm old enough to have heard this sort of speculation about Kohoutek as well.

Re:I'll believe it when I see it

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm old enough to have heard this sort of speculation about Kohoutek as well.

That's fair enough, science hasn't changed since 1973. I believe that history will ultimately show that the decline of science started with the break-up of The Doors, though others contend that it was the rise of The Butts Band. Still others mark 1973 as the beginning of the end of civilisation itself, implying that the impact of the break-up of The Doors created tear in the fabric of human social history that was not simply limited to the decline of scientific endeavour.

Kohoutek

[mbone]

I am also old enough to remember the speculation about Kohoutek.

It is notoriously hard to predict the brightness of "new" comets, as you know nothing about their history.

Wonder when

[kiriath]

All the nutcases will be busting out the Kool-aid