Observations - 29th March 2020

Hi Finbarr,

Many thanks for providing this update. I clicked the link and found the notion that '...a disruption event also could explain the large non-gravitational forces acting on the comet...' interesting. 

Are they suggesting it may have been hit by something?

Clear skies,

Darren.

Unlikely I would say Darren; it seems to have been a fragment of a 'great' comet in 1844, which was itself a fragment of a 'greater' comet. So not that surprising if it has broken up, although most would have expected it to get somewhat closer to the Sun before that happened. I did get a DSLR shot of it last Sunday night; was going to wait until the brightness increased but seems like that's not going to happen now...






 

Hi Finbarr,

Very many thanks for the explanation...fascinating stuff. 

Also, I really like your photo with the green coloured comet.

Clear skies,

Darren.

Latest images show the comet still 'existing' but with a change in shape and drop in brightness. There is still a possibility that however many components it now consists of, could put on a good and unusual show as they get nearer the Sun.

Finbarr.