Hartley 2, or Comet 103P orbits the sun every 6 and a half years. However, until this year, gravitational interactions with Jupiter kept shifting the comet’s path closer to the sun than to the Earth. This year, the comet is scheduled to make its closest path to the Earth on October 20. Weather permitting, students and faculty should be able to view Hartley 2’s spectacular passing with either binoculars or a telescope.
For schools in the Northern Hemisphere, viewers should be able to first identify the comet in the evening sky by mid-October. Astronomers at the Griffith Observatory in California say that, from mid-October until the 20th, viewers should be able to see the comet nearly all night long in the northeast. After the 20th, it will be viewable as early as 11:30 p.m. (local time), but those trying to capture the best glimpse will have the most luck just before dawn.
For schools in the Southern Hemisphere, you will have the best view of the comet as it moves away from Earth. Observers in rural areas not polluted by light should be able to see the comet with the naked eye as it nears the sun. It will appear as a glowing smudge. For those viewing with optical aid, you should be able to clearly see the details of the comet’s coma and dust tail.
Curious why this comet wasn’t discovered until 1986? Click here to read the history of Hartley 2.
With all the buzz this year being around Hartley 2, both annual meteor shower displays have slipped from headlines. But don’t forget about the Orionids (viewable from October 20-24) and the Leonids (viewable from November 17-18), which are both impressive night sky displays.
If your school’s planning on celebrating these events, ISM would love to hear about it. Send us a link, a photo, or a little blurb about how your students and faculty document special night sky observations. Even better, share with us how your science teachers are using 21st Century teaching methods to educate students about these special events.
