Great Comet

As Big comet is called a comet that seems extremely bright and spectacular.

Definition

There are no officially accepted definition of what makes a comet to a " Great Comets ". As a rule of thumb, however, that a Great Comet is a phenomenon that strikes even a casual observer of the night sky. For this purpose, the comet must reach an apparent magnitude, which is equivalent to the brightest stars.

While most comets can be observed only with the help of telescopes, some develop a brightness that they can also freiäugig become conspicuous phenomena. The reasons for this are a great approach of the comet to the sun or on the earth and in most cases an unusually large or active nucleus. In most large comet therefore are long-period comets, or comets that even penetrate the first time in the inner solar system. Short-period comets, which lose at each approach to the Sun material, rarely develop into eye-catching appearances. The only exception is the comet Halley, whose often spectacular phenomena were repeatedly as the "Great Comet " listed.

Selection of large comets

Large comets from ancient times until the 12th century ( Julian calendar)

  • Great Comet of 373 BC
  • The comet was visible in the year 373 to 372, and the Greek historian Ephorus reported that was divided into two pieces of the comet.
  • Comet Caesar ( C/-43 K1; 44 BC)
  • The daylight comet was at least 72 days from May to July visible, the visibility in Italy was limited due to a strong Etna eruption until well into July. After Ramsey & Light ( 1997), and maximum -4.0 -3.3 might like recorded during a recent flare -up (23-25 ​​. July).
  • Great Comet of 178
  • Chinese observers report a tail length greater than 70 degrees longitude and were able to watch about 80 days with the naked eye the comet.
  • Great Comet of 191
  • Chinese observers report a tail length greater than 70 degrees longitude.
  • C/240 V1
  • The comet reached about 2 to 1 like in 39 days maximum visibility with the naked eye.
  • C/390 Q1
  • Chinese observers report a tail length greater than 70 degrees longitude to -1 like 26 days and visibility.
  • C/400 F1
  • The comet reached a maximum at 30 days 0 likes visibility.
  • C/442 V1
  • The comet reached about 2 to 1 like in 100 days visibility.
  • C/565 O1
  • The comet reached 1 to 0 like in 100 days visibility.
  • C/568 O1
  • The comet reached 0 I at 100 days visibility.
  • C/770 K1
  • The comet reached about 2 to 1 like at 62 days visibility.
  • Great Comet of 891
  • Chinese observers report a tail length greater than 70 degrees longitude at 62 days of visibility.
  • Great Comet of 838
  • This comet was visible for 49 days.
  • Great Comet of 905
  • Chinese observers report a tail length greater than 70 degrees longitude at 0 like in 26 days visibility.

Great comet of the 12th century ( Julian calendar)

  • Great Comet of 1106 ( X/1106 C1)
  • The great comet of the year 1106 was visible for 40 days and could be a previous passage of the comet of 1882 and 1965 or the year 1843 be.
  • C/1132 T1
  • The comet reached -1 mag and was visible for 24 days.

Great comet of the 13th century ( Julian calendar)

  • C/1240 B1
  • The comet reached 0 likes.
  • C/1264 N1
  • Chinese observers report on July 26, 1264 by a tail with 100 degree longitude at 0 likes.

Great comet of the 14th century ( Julian calendar)

There are from this period no reports of large comets.

Great comet of the 15th century ( Julian calendar)

  • C/1402 D1
  • Mid- March 1402 the comet had its conjunction with the Sun and there are reports that he could be observed for 8 days in the daytime. The brightness reached the maximum -3 mag.
  • C/1468 S1
  • The comet reached about 2 to 1 mag.
  • C/1471 Y1
  • The comet reached -3 mag.

Great comet of the 16th century ( Julian calendar)

  • C/1532 R1
  • The comet reached -1 mag.
  • C/1533 M1 The comet was discovered only after the Sonnenkonjunktion and reached 0mag.
  • C/1556 D1
  • The comet reached -2 mag.
  • C/1577 V1
  • The comet reached -3 mag.

Great comet of the 17th century

  • C/1618 W1
  • The comet reached about 1 to 0 likes.
  • C/1664 W1
  • The comet reached -1 mag.
  • C/1665 F1
  • The comet was observed last April 20 to Sonnenkonjunktion, reaching -1 mag.
  • C/1668 E1
  • The comet reached about 2 to 1 mag.
  • C/1680 V1 This comet, which was discovered first by means of a telescope, reached about 2 to 1 mag.
  • C/1686 R1
  • The comet reached about 2 to 1 mag.

Great comet of the 18th century

  • Comet Klinkenberg ( C/1743 X1): On February 27, 1744 comet could be seen even during the day, only 12 ° next to the sun. Its brightness is likely there have been about - 6mag. Subsequently the comet tail developed up to eleven rays reached a length of up to 90 °.
  • Comet 1769 Messier ( C/1769 P1) The comet was discovered by Charles Messier

Great comet of the 19th century

  • Flaugergues comet ( C/1811 F1): The comet could be seen freiäugig more than eight months. In October 1811, he reached his greatest apparent magnitude of about 0mag. The coma was 2 million kilometers wide, and about 15 million km long tail covered more than 90 ° of heaven.
  • Daylight Comet of 1843 ( C/1843 D1): At perihelion, which has passed through February 27, 1843 comet, the comet could be seen only 1 ° next to the sun in the daytime. Its tail reached a length of 330 million kilometers - more than the distance between the Sun and Mars. This comet also the Kreutz group is allocated.
  • Comet Donati ( designated C/1858 L1): The comet Donati said to have been one of the most beautiful comets ever seen with the naked eye. He reached an apparent magnitude of 0mag and a tail length of 60 ° in October 1858. He was also the first comet to be photographed by its luminosity.
  • Comet Tebbutt ( C/1861 J1): The comet Tebbutt came on June 30, 1861 to 0.13 AU ( 19 million km ) closer to the earth; they could have slipped through the tip of his tail. The " Great Comet of the South" was so bright that objects at night threw in his light shade, and the comet was visible even in the daytime.
  • Great September Comet ( C/1882 R1): The " Great September Comet ", a sun scratches the Kreutz group, approached on 17 September 1882 to 0.008 AU ( 1.2 million kilometers ) to the sun and broke it due to the solar tidal forces in at least six parts. The comet was around during the day to be visible enough light next to the sun.

Great comet of the 20th century

  • Johannesburg comet ( C/1910 A1): Only a few weeks before the return of Halley's Comet this comet could be seen on January 17, 1910 only 4 ° in addition to the sun in the daytime sky.
  • Comet Halley ( 1P/Halley ): On his return in 1910, the famous Halley's Comet reached an apparent brightness of up to 0mag, and its tail stretched with a maximum length of 150 ° over almost the entire sky. On 19 May 1910, the Earth passed through the tail of Comet Halley even.
  • Comet Skjellerup - Maristany ( C/1927 X1): The comet could be seen in the December 1927 only 5 ° in addition to the sun in the daytime sky. The end of December reached the tail of a length of 35 °.
  • Comet Arend -Roland ( C/1956 R1): The comet reached a maximum brightness of about 0mag in April 1956. The tail facing away from the sun reached a length of 25 °. In addition, the comet showed a displayed on the antisolar tail with 15 ° of longitude.
  • Comet Ikeya - Seki ( C/1965 S1): This comet of the Kreutz group approached on 21 October 1965 only 0.0078 AU ( 1.16 million kilometers ) to the sun. The nucleus of the comet broke up into three parts, and the comet reached an apparent magnitude of - 10mag. After the flyby of the sun, the comet could be seen with a tail of up to 25 ° of longitude at dawn.
  • Comet West ( C/1975 V1): The comet was discovered in Aug.1975 at the European Southern Observatory and approached on February 25, 1976, the sun only 0.196 AU (29 million km). Yet his heart was broken due to the solar tidal forces into four parts. The comet's head reached a brightness of - 3mag and a tail length of up to 30 °.
  • Comet Hyakutake ( C/1996 B2): The comet approached on 24 March 1996 up to 0,109 AE ( 16 million kilometers ) to the earth. He reached there an apparent magnitude of about 0mag and a tail length of 75 °.
  • Comet Hale -Bopp ( C/1995 O1): The comet Hale- Bopp could be seen for 18 months freiäugig, longer than any other comet. Around the time of its closest approach to the Sun on April 1, 1997, he reached an apparent magnitude of about - 1mag, and his two tails reached a length of 30-40 °.

Great Comet of the 21st Century

  • McNaught ( C/2006 P1): In the days around perihelion on January 12, 2007, the comet could be a few degrees next to the sun in the daytime (brightness about - 5.5mag ). A short time later he appeared in the southern sky with a mighty dust tail.
Great Comet of 1577 Great Comet of 1680 Great Comet of 1744 Kreutz Sungrazers Astrophotography Comet Hale–Bopp
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