Scientists and star-gazers are hoping for a glimpse of a green comet called Lulin had their best chance on Wednesday as it reached its nearest point to the Earth. There would be another opportunity to see it on Thursday also
This unusual celestial body, which is about 300,000 miles wide and some 38 million miles away, was due to appear just after midnight, close to Saturn during its first visit to the Earth’s inner solar system.
However, Jenny Carter, who is part of a team of experts from the University of Leicester using Nasa’s Swift satellite to track the comet as it nears Earth, said their observations had been “disappointing” because of cloudy weather.
It is said that it should be quite bright, but as the days pass it will get fainter and fainter.
If there is a clearer sky tomorrow, one can see it from a place without much light pollution and with a pair of binoculars and a small telescope if one has it.
Discovered only a year ago, the comet gets its green colour from a poisonous, cyanide-like gas in its atmosphere.
The Swift satellite has recorded simultaneous ultraviolet and X-ray images of the comet.
Miss Carter said it was important to carry out
Observations of Lulin will give scientists clues about the origin of comets and the solar system.
A comet is a clump of frozen gases mixed with dust. These “dirty snowballs” cast off gas and dust whenever they venture near the sun.
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