ANOTHER NEW-CYCLE SUNSPOT: For the second time this week, a sunspot from the next solar cycle has appeared. The new sunspot, AR2762, has a magnetic polarity that marks it as a member of Solar Cycle 25. We're not out of Solar Minimum yet, but Solar Cycle 25 is definitely showing signs of life. Aurora Alerts: SMS Text.
COMET SWAN UPDATE: Comet SWAN (C/2020 F8) is brightening rapidly. "I just came in from observing it with the naked eye," reports John Drummond of Gisborne, New Zealand. "It seems to have increased in brightness dramatically since I last saw it a few nights ago." Indeed, multiple observers have now pegged the comet at magnitude +5.5, just within the range of naked-eye visibility.
At the moment, the comet is little more than a dim fuzzball to the human eye. The view through a telescope, however, is stunning. Gerald Rhemann sends this picture from Farm Tivoli, Namibia:
"This is a 30 minute exposure through my 12-inch Astrograph," says Rhemann, who also made a magnificent animation of the comet. In only 40 minutes of tracking, it is possible to see complicated waves and tendrils of gas rippling down the comet's tail. Play the movie.
The comet's tail is so long, Rhemann could not fit it in the field of view. "In my photo it measures about 1.2 degrees long," he says. "However, I know from friends who have photographed wider fields that it actually stretches about 8 degrees across the sky." For comparison, the bowl of the Big Dipper is 10 degrees wide.
Above: The light curve of Comet SWAN courtesy of the Comet Observation Database (COBS).
Comet SWAN will make its closest approach to Earth on May 12th at a distance of 0.56 AU. That's not very close, but it could be a good show anyway. If current trends continue, the comet will brighten to 3rd magnitude or better, similar to the stars of the Pleiades. Observers in the southern hemisphere will have little trouble seeing it as it glides through the constellation Pisces.
Much about Comet SWAN remains unknown. It was discovered only a few weeks ago, on April 11th, when a sudden hydrogen dump by the comet made it show up in data from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory's SWAN instrument. Comet SWAN's hyperbolic orbit suggests that it might be a first-time visitor to the inner solar system. Such newcomers are notoriously unpredictable, so no one can say for sure what will happen next. Stay tuned!
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MOTHER'S DAY IS LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AWAY! Are you looking for an out-of-this world Mother's Day gift? Consider this: Every time the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launch a cosmic ray balloon, they include something extra in the payload--something Mom will love:
Every item in the Earth to Sky Store has flown to the edge of space and comes with a greeting card showing the item in flight. The interior of the card tells the story of the gift's journey from launch to landing. Mom-satisfaction guaranteed!
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
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