Skywatchers have a chance to see two comets in May, one of which may spawn a spectacular "meteor storm" at the end of next week.
Comets PanSTARRS and LINEAR are streaking through the night sky this month, and both should be visible through binoculars or a small telescope, experts say.
ThisNASA video shows how to spot the two comets, as well as Saturn, in the May night sky.Comet PanSTARRS, officially known as PanSTARRS C/2012 K1, "is easy to find as it skims the sky below the Big Dipper," narrator Jane Houston Jones said in the May skywatching video by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
PanSTARRS C/2012 K1 was discovered in 2012 by astronomers using the PanSTARRS telescope in Hawaii.The comet should be particularly visible on dark, moonless nights from May 17 through early June, she added. But some folks have already gotten a good look at the icy wanderer, including astrophotographer Chris Schur, who sent Space.com a great shot of PanSTARRS captured on May 9 from Payson, Arizona.
"Now in Ursa Major, this comet is around 8th magnitude and developing not only a slight curved dust fan, but now a long, 5-degree gas tail, seen here shooting down to the bottom of this 4-degree field," Schur told Space.com via email. "Needless to say, we are very excited on the prospects for imaging in the next few months as this comet brightens to naked-eye magnitudes!"
Comet 209P/LINEAR, meanwhile, will make a close flyby of Earth on May 29, coming within about 5 million miles (8 million kilometers) of the planet. But the best viewing opportunities will come before that close approach.
"You may be able to spot the small, faint comet as it passes the familiar constellations Ursa Major and Leo from May 10 through the 27th," Houston Jones said.
Comet LINEAR has skywatchers excited for another reason as well. On May 23 and 24, Earth is set to plow through much of the debris the comet has shed on its trips around the sun over the last 200 years, possibly setting up a brilliant new meteor shower.
"This potential new shower is so new that astronomers aren't sure what to expect," Houston Jones said. "Predictions run from less than 100 meteors per hour up to an unlikely but possible meteor storm as high as 1,000 per hour."
The Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research project, which observes from New Mexico, found Comet LINEAR in 2004.
See more here:
Two Comets Visible in Telescopes This Month: Where to Look
- Comet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: November 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: November 21st, 2013]
- Comets - The Nine Planets [Last Updated On: November 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: November 21st, 2013]
- Comets - Astronomy For Kids - KidsAstronomy.com [Last Updated On: November 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: November 21st, 2013]
- Views of the Solar System: Comets [Last Updated On: November 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: November 21st, 2013]
- Comets (extra footage) - Video [Last Updated On: November 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: November 21st, 2013]
- Solar flare update. 6 comets! Nov 28th ISON perihelion! - Video [Last Updated On: November 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: November 21st, 2013]
- Comets game 2end goal - Video [Last Updated On: November 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: November 21st, 2013]
- Missouri Comets vs. Milwaukee Wave - Video [Last Updated On: November 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: November 21st, 2013]
- Football: Comets Advance Past Momence - Video [Last Updated On: November 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: November 21st, 2013]
- Caliber Cheer Comets Nov 9 2013 - Video [Last Updated On: November 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: November 21st, 2013]
- Two Comets Are About to Fly By Mercury | NASA Space Science HD Video - Video [Last Updated On: November 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: November 21st, 2013]
- Comets win on tiebreaker [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Comets fend off Wildcat attack [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Free throws bring Comets down [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Comets continue solid play on their home ice [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Comets Beat Heat 4-2 [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Comets in the Community [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Comets pick up third straight win over Heat [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Comets Welcome Back Old Rival [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Comets Cool Abbotsford 4-2 [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Comets – Facts and Information about Comets | Space.com [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Comets v Wave 121313 Highlights - Video [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Highlights - Comets vs. Monsters 12/15/13 - Video [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Weekly Space Hangout - Preventing Asteroids, More Comets, Worldview Balloon - Video [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Pens 1 - Comets 0 - Video [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Milwaukee Waves Cheap Shot Vs. Missouri Comets - 12.13.13 - Video [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Hometown Nights - Tarso Miller and the Wild Comets - Video [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Hangout with Comets Nova and Deathlyhall - Video [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Comets vs St. Louis Ambush - Video [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Shake, Rattle and Roll Bill Haley and His Comets - Sheet Music - Easy Alto Sax Version - Video [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2013]
- Comets Shut Out Heat 3-0 [Last Updated On: December 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 21st, 2013]
- Administration [Last Updated On: December 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 21st, 2013]
- Bill Haley And His Comets ' R-O-C-K' 78 rpm - Video [Last Updated On: December 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 21st, 2013]
- Bill Haley And His Comets ' The Saints Rock 'N Roll' 78 rpm - Video [Last Updated On: December 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 21st, 2013]
- Nicklas Jensen's Shootout Winning Deke 12-15-13 - Video [Last Updated On: December 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 21st, 2013]
- Missouri Comets Night with Miles - 12.13.13 - Video [Last Updated On: December 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 21st, 2013]
- 12/13/13 Comets 5 vs. Senators 2 - Video [Last Updated On: December 21st, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 21st, 2013]
- Comets rock Bulldogs for first win [Last Updated On: December 22nd, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 22nd, 2013]
- Comets Deposit Life's Building Blocks Across the Cosmos!(Dr.Ruehl) - Video [Last Updated On: December 22nd, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 22nd, 2013]
- Comets beat AHL rival Abbotsford again with shutout [Last Updated On: December 23rd, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 23rd, 2013]
- Comets Win Streak Grows to Four Games [Last Updated On: December 23rd, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 23rd, 2013]
- Comets Corner: On the Mask [Last Updated On: December 23rd, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 23rd, 2013]
- 'Comets of the Centuries': 500 Years of the Greatest Comets Ever Seen [Last Updated On: December 23rd, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 23rd, 2013]
- Hackensack High School (NJ) Football Home - MaxPreps.com [Last Updated On: December 23rd, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 23rd, 2013]
- Little Comets - Isles (Music Video) - Video [Last Updated On: December 23rd, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 23rd, 2013]
- Comets Have Two Players on MISL Team of Week [Last Updated On: December 25th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 25th, 2013]
- ONE FOR THE RECORD DECEMBER 20 2013 21 FUKUSHIMA COMETS EARTHQUAKES NMR GZ PAUL AND BP - Video [Last Updated On: December 25th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 25th, 2013]
- Comets in the Community: Christmas at St. Luke's [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2013]
- Best comets of last 500 years [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2013]
- STRANGE EVENTS In 2013 Earthquakes, Mass Animal Deaths, Extreme Weather, OORT Cloud Comets - Video [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2013]
- Utica Comets " 'Twas the Night" - Video [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2013]
- Missouri Comets vs. Rochester Lancers - Video [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2013]
- Chasing Comets: In search of secrets about our origins - Video [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2013]
- DREAM X2 COMETS/STARS FLYING OVERHEAD, MASSIVE SONIC BOOMS EARTH HIT POSSIBLY. - Video [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2013]
- What are comets? - Video [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2013]
- Game Preview: Syracuse Silver Knights at Missouri Comets and St. Louis Ambush [Last Updated On: December 27th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 27th, 2013]
- Clark's performance boosts Clayton over Moss Point [Last Updated On: December 27th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 27th, 2013]
- Gameday: Comets vs. Binghamton [Last Updated On: December 27th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 27th, 2013]
- Comets Battle for First Place [Last Updated On: December 27th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 27th, 2013]
- Gameday: Comets vs. Hamilton [Last Updated On: December 28th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 28th, 2013]
- Comets fall to Senators [Last Updated On: December 28th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 28th, 2013]
- Comets end winning streak [Last Updated On: December 28th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 28th, 2013]
- Comets vs Syracuse Silver Knights - Video [Last Updated On: December 28th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 28th, 2013]
- Winning Comets Soccer - Video [Last Updated On: December 28th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 28th, 2013]
- Comets Lose in Final Minutes [Last Updated On: December 29th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 29th, 2013]
- CometsTV: 12-27-13 Utica Comets vs. Binghamton Senators Highlights - Video [Last Updated On: December 29th, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 29th, 2013]
- Comets knock off Aquin for second time this season [Last Updated On: December 31st, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 31st, 2013]
- Comets fall after late rally [Last Updated On: December 31st, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 31st, 2013]
- CometsTV: 12-28-13 Utica Comets vs. Hamilton Bulldogs Highlights - Video [Last Updated On: December 31st, 2013] [Originally Added On: December 31st, 2013]
- Comets Corner: Kellan Lain [Last Updated On: January 1st, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 1st, 2014]
- Comets Welcome New Year [Last Updated On: January 1st, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 1st, 2014]
- Comets Media Game 2013 - Video [Last Updated On: January 1st, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 1st, 2014]
- 1957 AMI H200 playing Bill Haley and his Comets Rock Around The Clock. - Video [Last Updated On: January 1st, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 1st, 2014]
- 7 Amazing Christmas Kinder Surprise Eggs SMURFS cars, comets Unwrapping Review Chocolate Easter Toys - Video [Last Updated On: January 1st, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 1st, 2014]
- Shootout - Dogs @ Comets - 12/2813 - END - Video [Last Updated On: January 1st, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 1st, 2014]
- Shootout - Dogs @ Comets - 12/2813 - Video [Last Updated On: January 1st, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 1st, 2014]
- Catonsville girls basketball shows promise for another strong season [Last Updated On: January 2nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 2nd, 2014]
- Gameday: Comets vs. Lake Erie [Last Updated On: January 2nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 2nd, 2014]
- Comets Kick off New Year with Exciting Win [Last Updated On: January 2nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 2nd, 2014]
- Comets Remain Hot at Home with 3-2 Decision over Lake Erie [Last Updated On: January 2nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 2nd, 2014]