Comet* C/2011 W3 (Lovejoy) will graze the Suns photosphere and may pass thru corona intact..

Originally posted by TomServo
There Is Another One. According to the 2 most recent images (around Dec 15 @ 1600), there is another object just to the right, and trailing the comet. Appears to be about the same distance behind as the other is ahead.

Well, now that more images have been taken, it's apparent that the trailing object I saw (or a least thought i did) is only visible in frames 1618 and 1630, then is gone by the time 1654 was taken. Possible 2 different objects.

This thing is clippin along pretty quick! Also, has anybody considered how large this thing appears to be. According to Wiki:

The comet nucleus of Lovejoy has been estimated to be between 100 and 200 meters in diameter.

I think that's complete bologna. Compare its illumination (I can only assume how this relates to the size of an object) immediately before and after perihelion to that of Mercury (when its on the near side of the sun of course). Just a thought...

reply to post by TomServo


I was wondering the same thing if the size estimate was accurate for it. It seems even the object or fragment that was in front of it would of been larger then the said size. I guess we will have to wait to see if better data comes in especially since it made it passed the sun/SOL, the estimated size seems strange to have been able to make it passed...

An excerpt from "Sky and Telescope" on this remarkable comet Lovejoy....

At one point images showed a tiny fragment moving alongside the main mass. Had the comet split, or was it an undetected traveling companion? "Both — and neither," says SOHO scientist Karl Battams. He explains that it must be a piece of the parent body that fragmented long ago to create Comet Lovejoy and the thousands of other kamikaze objects known as Kreutz sungrazers.

"We are witnessing one of the most extraordinary events in cometary history," notes John Bortle, who has observed and studied these objects for more than 40 years. "The manner in which Comet Lovejoy is evolving is, to my knowledge, totally unique in the comet record. Its brilliant, starlike appearance this morning, when only at an extremely small heliocentric distance, harkens back once again to the reports of 'brilliant stars' being occasionally reported close to the Sun down through history."

Source: Sky and Telescope Magazine Online

Lovejoy 2012 Omen: 13th century prophecy of comet heralding great destruction?

“A comet will be seen in heaven – a star, that is, with a tail or appendage—and this apparition will signify destructions and tumults and hard strifes, and withholding of rains, and dryness of the Earth, and mighty battles, and the flowing of blood upon the Earth of the east, and from beyond the River Harbor it will reach to the very end of the west. And the just and the truly righteous will be oppressed and will suffer persecutions, and the house of prayer will be destroyed.” – Rigord of St. Denis 12th century

Lovejoy, the only sun-grazing comet known to have survived a close encounter with the Sun.

reply to post by AncietSoul


I still wonder what type of material it was to pass so close and be so small and still make it thru and the fragment that was in front of it also is amazing as they moved together.. Thanks for adding I see you feel its Omen related somehow... Interesting

vry interesting..i must say

So if Nasa assumed this was going to burn up in the Sun, but it did not.

How has the orbit changed?

Will it make another pass any time soon. Or are there any other smaller fragments that travel with LoveJoy, that have had their orbits changed?

reply to post by Artlicious

There's no reason for the orbit to have changed.
C/2001 W3 will be back in 625 years or so.
ssd.jpl.nasa.gov...

reply to post by Artlicious


@Or are there any other smaller fragments that travel with LoveJoy, that have had their orbits changed?

Very good question


reply to post by Phage



What do you think Phage are all accompanying fragments still following their original paths or did they go into SOL or elsewhere? Thanks in advance

reply to post by Phage


Thanks Phage.. I didn't know if the gravity of the Sun maybe pulled it in a little closer than expected, thus altering the course ever so slightly... but I guess not. Perhaps I've seen one too many Star Trek episodes.. LOL

reply to post by Artlicious

As a matter of fact the pass through the corona could have had a very slight effect on the orbit by slowing the comet a bit. But not enough to make much of any difference as far as we're concerned.

If you have not seen what happened to Lovejoy this past day, check out other ATS threads on Lovejoy, which I will not duplicate here... Now visible before dawn in the Southern hemisphere, one of the most brilliant comets yet. Absolutely amazing, and the show is just beginning anew. Northerners, this is gonna suck for us unless we take a trip to Sydney.

What an amazing comet this has turned out to be.

A Christmas present from the solar system.

Imagine what the discoverer (Lovejoy) is feeling today. Having his name to this, probably better than most other comets of this last few centuries. It started out so whimpy, and now it is glorious.

The name itself is prophetic. Wow.