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[Centaur]

Comet C/2012 K5 (LINEAR) will pass less than 0.3 AU from Earth at an expected magnitude of +8.9 during late December. It’s currently at magnitude +10.5 and viewing will become better for northern hemisphere observers as it approaches.

I’ve created an orbital diagram and an ephemeris. Links to them can be found near the bottom of my comet webpage at: www.CurtRenz.com/comets

Photos and descriptions of the comet would be welcome additions to this thread.

[Paulie pchris00]

Next year could be a good year for comets. I've seen only four.

1P Halley
Lulin
Hartley 2
Garradd

I could nearly double that list in 2013.

[Centaur]

I predict that magnitude +9.3 Comet C/2012 K5 (LINEAR) geocentrically will appear to pass magnitude +1.7 Elnath (Beta Tauri) by 39 arcminutes at J2000.0 position angle 302° on 2013 JAN 04 at 23:57 UT. For Chicagoland observers the figures will be 38 arcminutes at 17:56 CST.

Below is my related J2000.0 geocentric graphic for the conjunction. More of my comet graphics and data can be found at www.CurtRenz.com/comets

[Paulie pchris00]

Supposed to clear tonight, too. Cold, but clear. This could be an easy score, if I remember.

(Set an alarm, stupid).

Thanks Curt!

[dayzedankonfused]

So me and a buddy of mine are going to take a lil road trip past Kankakee tonight since it is going to be extra clear. He is a photographer and I have been getting him into astrphotography. Will this comet be visible with the naked eye or through the help of a scope? Wouldn't mind trying to get a few pictures of it if possible. he basically has been doing time lapse videos and getting cool back round shots of the horizon being in nothing but corn fields with his wide angle lens. also hoping to maybe catch a straggling meteor tonight. Any tips would be appreciated and will attach any cool pictures to the thread.

[Centaur]

Jan 4, 2013 16:32:43 GMT -6 dayzedankonfused said:

So me and a buddy of mine are going to take a lil road trip past Kankakee tonight since it is going to be extra clear...Will this comet be visible with the naked eye or through the help of a scope?

You'll need optical aid. Later this year a couple of naked-eye comets are expected. Good Luck.

[dayzedankonfused]

Thanks for the quick response. I have been reading about ISON and PANSTARRS. Hopefully they will be a good show. Will be looking for your awesome updates too!

[Centaur]

I’ve improved the graphics on both my comets and asteroids webpages for near-Earth objects (NEO). The overhead views from above the ecliptic plane now show the orbits colorized. This is to make it clearer when a minor body is “above” (north) or “below” (south) the ecliptic plane. Some of the bodies have orbits highly inclined to the ecliptic and the relationship between the two orbital planes needed to be made more obvious.

I hope you find the diagrams useful. They can be seen by going to my comets or asteroids webpages after clicking www.CurtRenz.com/astronomical or going directly to www.CurtRenz.com/comets or www.CurtRenz.com/asteroids

[erikruud]

Jan 4, 2013 16:50:38 GMT -6 dayzedankonfused said:

Thanks for the quick response. I have been reading about ISON and PANSTARRS. Hopefully they will be a good show. Will be looking for your awesome updates too!

Funny you should mention PANSTARRS. I just saw Pan-STARRS the other day.

[dayzedankonfused]

That would be super fun to visit.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

I tried locating LINEAR Sunday night with the C11

Although clear, it was hazy and I was not able to spot definite signatures of the comet.

But, my astro buds say it's a fast moving object.

[Centaur]

Jan 8, 2013 19:24:04 GMT -6 Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe said:

I tried locating LINEAR Sunday night with the C11

Although clear, it was hazy and I was not able to spot definite signatures of the comet.

But, my astro buds say it's a fast moving object.

Indeed, Joe, it is zipping along. Tonight around 23 hr CST (05 hr UT) it will pass 3.7° from Aldebaran as demonstrated in my chart below. The related graphics and ephemeris on my comets webpage may be helpful to you: www.CurtRenz.com/comets

[erikruud]

Jan 8, 2013 18:27:18 GMT -6 dayzedankonfused said:

That would be super fun to visit.

It was awesome being up there on Haleakala, 10,000 feet above sea level.

Unfortunately, the observatories are not open to the public in any way. I was on vacation with a large group of family and my daughter wasn't dealing well with the thin air, so I didn't stay up there as long as I wanted to.