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"Suicide" Comet Storm Hits Sun—Bigger Sun-Kisser Coming?

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posted on Jan, 19 2011 @ 08:42 AM
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A recent storm of small comets that pelted the sun could herald the coming a much bigger icy visitor, astronomers say.

Since its launch in 1995, NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, or SOHO, orbiter has captured pictures of 2,000 comets as they've flown past the sun.

Most of these comets are so-called sungrazers, relatively tiny comets whose orbits bring them so near the sun that they are often vaporized within hours of discovery. (See a picture of a sungrazer spied in October.)

The sun-watching telescope usually picks up one sungrazer every few days. But between December 13 and 22, SOHO saw more than two dozen sungrazers appear and disintegrate.

Seeing "25 comets in just ten days, that's unprecedented," Karl Battams, of the United States Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., said in a statement. "It was crazy!"

According to Battams and colleagues, the comet swarm could be forerunner fragments from a much larger parent comet that may be headed along a similar path. And such a large icy body coming so near the sun would result in a spectacular sky show.

The sun-kissing comet Ikeya-Seki, as it appeared in the dawn sky in 1965.

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news.nationalgeographic.com...



posted on Jan, 19 2011 @ 09:01 AM
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reply to post by Ophiuchus 13
 

Yeah I read about this going to happen, didn't it have something to do with X/1106 C1 or the great comet of 1106 breaking up in two smaller pieces??

X/1106 C1

interesting time ahead....


Peace
edit on 19-1-2011 by operation mindcrime because: (no reason given)



posted on Jan, 19 2011 @ 09:01 AM
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that pelting of comets takes me back to the 90's when jupiter got blasted by the Shoemaker-Levy 9 struck Jupiter in july 1994.

this should also put into perspective that large object are capable and DO collide with planetary bodies.
(including earth)

can't wait for the show from the sun kisser.



posted on Jan, 19 2011 @ 09:50 AM
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reply to post by operation mindcrime
 

I am not sure if it a part of that particular comet. It seems the scientist are having a hard time figuring out its origins since they have only seen the fragments of the main comet. It is possible though.

Thanks for your inputs

edit on 1/19/11 by Ophiuchus 13 because: (no reason given)



posted on Jan, 19 2011 @ 09:53 AM
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Originally posted by zooplancton
that pelting of comets takes me back to the 90's when jupiter got blasted by the Shoemaker-Levy 9 struck Jupiter in july 1994.


That is the first thing that came to mind as well. I hope its not going to be as interactive as SL9 because that would cause some major damage on EArth...
Thanks




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