Comet ATLAS may put on quite a show

Comet ATLAS may put on quite a show
3-23-20  by Bob Yirka , Phys.org


https://phys.org/news/2020-03-comet-atlas.html



A comet called Atlas is currently heading toward the sun, and it just might put on a really good show in a couple of months. Discovered last December by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert system in Hawaii (thus the name ATLAS for the comet), the comet has been growing much brighter than experts had predicted. If it manages to hold its shape as it moves nearer to the sun, it could grow brighter than Venus.


Shortly after its discovery, ATLAS began growing brighter than expected—a lot brighter. So bright that it can now be seen by amateur astronomers with binoculars. It is expected to reach its peak brightness at the end of May. Making it even more exciting is its color—slightly green.



Those who have been tracking the comet note that it jumped from magnitude +17 in February to +8 just a month later—a 4000-fold increase in brightness. At such a rate, it could be visible to people in zones free from light pollution with their naked eyes in just a couple of weeks.


A comet grows brighter as it moves closer to the sun because it burns more intensely and releases more frozen volatiles. But because of their nature, it is impossible to predict whether they will remain intact—many comets burn up entirely and simply disappear. If Atlas manages to remain intact, some in the field have suggested it could grow from magnitude +1 to possibly -5. At the brightest extreme, it could be visible even during the day.
The location of the comet is also notable—unlike more recent comets, it will be best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere. If the comet lives up to its potential, it could put on a show not seen since Comet Hale-Bopp back in 1997. Interestingly, the comet is following a nearly identical path to the famous Great Comet of 1844—a trajectory that would give the comet a 6,000-year orbit that would take it out of the solar system. Some have suggested an ancient super-comet may have once broken apart along the same trajectory, leaving the smaller comets for us to observe.

The 10 Must-See Skywatching Events to Look for in 2020
https://www.space.com/39231-top-skywatching-events-this-year.html

April: "Glory nights" for Venus 

[size=12](Image credit: ESO/Y. Beletsky)[/size]
Early April finds Venus near the peak of its highest evening apparition and close to the Pleiades star cluster — just as it was in April 2012 (eight years ago) and will be in early April 2028 (eight years hence). 
On the American evenings of April 2 and 3, the bright, magnitude -4.5 lantern of a world will be on the edge of the cluster, and nearly overwhelm the naked-eye view of the Pleiades. With sufficient telescopic magnification, the dazzling, golden-white, thick crescent of Venus floating near the blue-white stars of the cluster will be visible. 
Venus will also remain in the sky unusually late into the night ... depending on your location, it sets close to, or even after midnight. By late April, Venus will be approaching its awesome maximum brightness – but also its  mighty fall – from evening skies. 
 

April 7: Biggest full moon of the year 

Another article on comet Atlas:

https://www.inverse.com/science/comet-atlas-may-23-2020

[size=46]COMET ATLAS: WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW TO SEE THE HYPERBOLIC COMET[/size]
Inverse has put together an ATLAS guide.


Read it at the link please!

Thank you, will be looking up 

Worth looking up for:
Venus will be close to the Pleiades star cluster, tonight April 3, 2020. 


https://www.space.com/39231-top-skywatching-events-this-year.htm

The Mars, Saturn, Jupiter alignment was visible in my area of the northern plains this morning, hovering right above the waning moon. Beautiful view of Gods' handiwork!

Was too cloudy here...and rainy.


Glad you got the show, though!