Rare Comet Approaching Earth, 2022 Will Be Visible

HARIANHALUAN.COM – The inner solar system is now being approached by a comet named C/2021 O3. The comet is expected to have its clearest binocular distance in late April and early May 2022.

The IAU Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts named it Comet C/2021 O3 (PanSTARRS) on August 1.

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Reporting from Earthsky, Friday (6/8/2021) the confirmation image in the observations shows a compact coma or comet atmosphere. Interestingly, the comet’s orbit looks like a parabola. That is, the shape of its orbit indicates the comet has enough escape velocity to pull itself out of gravity Sun.

And, if the comet survives the sweep, he will exit orbit Earth. However, if the comet was disturbed by planet larger ones such as Jupiter, the space rock has the opportunity to bend into a wider space than the Milky Way galaxy Earth, and never came back. Scientists first observed C/2021 O3 (PanSTARRS) on July 26.

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They used the 71-inch (1.8 meter) Pan-STARRS 1 telescope in Hawaii. They found him in the direction of the constellation Pegasus the Flying Horse. And they found it when it was still 4.3 astronomical units (AU) from Sun more than four times the distance from Earth. The comet is still very faint as seen from Earth at magnitude 20.

The observations allowed scientists to calculate its orbit, indicating it would be at perihelion or the closest distance to Sun around 20-21 April 2022.

Comet will be closest to Earth around 7-9 May 2022. It is still uncertain whether this comet can be seen by the naked eye or not. Comets are unpredictable. And it’s too early to know what to expect from this new comet. One thing that can be known is that the comet will be close to Sun the brightest time.

So observers will need an unobstructed view of the northwest horizon to see it a few months from now, shortly after Sun sunset. The best chance to try to observe Comet C/2021 O3 (PanSTARRS) is in late April 2022 and slightly improved in early May 2022.

Calculations suggest the comet’s probability of reaching a magnitude of 7 or 6, and possibly even a lower and brighter 5.5 numbers. Don’t get too excited if you see some claims a bright comet is coming. Comets are highly erratic and unpredictable, and most require optical assistance. Don’t forget, there is another comet named C/2021 A1 (Leonard) which may provide a very beautiful view in December 2021. (Janlika Putri Indah Sari – Bisnis.com)

This article has been published on Bisnis.com with the title “In 2022, Comet C/2021 O3 Approaches Earth, Is it Dangerous?”

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