Deep Impact

solarsystem.nasa.gov/scitech/display.cfm?ST_ID=787

Here is link to just about everything you need to know as an amateur astronomer about Deep Impact for the next few days. It was writen and compiled by Jane H Jones a avid and well respected amateur astronomer in California.

Deirdre et al,

It is unfortunate for us that the proposed time of impact will be in early morning with lots of sunlight around. In the event there is a visible impact, it would be a tremendous sight behind the eyepiece.

Maybe next time.

Anthony.

Will it be possible to view the comet after the impact on monday night?

They tell us that all going well, the comet will reach magnitude 0 or 1 at best, but for how long will it be at this magnitude?

And if this happens, will we see a tail?

I will be flicking through all the channels on monday morning, i can't wait, it's very exciting, just a pity it's happening during our daylight hours.

Thanks!

I wouldn't be surprised if there was a brightening still visible come Monday night, presuming there is a reasonable brightening in the first place.

Some analysts are predicitng a brightening up to about mag 6 or even mag 5. And they reckong it could stay that way for a few weeks in the best of circumstances. It seems likely that any brightening will last at least for a few days/nights.

Certainly, the scientists are asking for any data images for a period of months after the impact and emphasise the need for images in the first few days after impact.

Cheers

Dave McD

Some analysts are predicitng a brightening up to about mag 6 or even mag 5. And they reckong it could stay that way for a few weeks in the best of circumstances. It seems likely that any brightening will last at least for a few days/nights.

If there is enough brightening to get the magnitude above 6, I wonder if that would be a first... I can't think of any other occasion when human activity changed a (natural) celestial body to an extent visible to the naked eye. :