Talk:Great Comet
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Great Comet is included in the 2006 Wikipedia CD Selection, or is a candidate for inclusion in the next version. Please maintain high quality standards and, if possible, stick to GFDL-compatible images. |
For a comet to become spectacular, it also needs to pass close to the earth. Halley's Comet, for example, is usually very bright when it passes through the inner solar system every 76 years, but during its 1976 apparition, its closest approach to earth was almost the most distant possible. The comet became visible to the naked eye, but was definitely unspectacular.
I'm not surprised the 1976 appearance was not spectacular; especially since it came not in 1976 but 1986!
[edit] Capitalisation
Great comet or Great Comet? The article is inconsistent on capitalisation at the moment, but I don't know enough to decide which is right. Markyour words 18:50, 4 February 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Is comet C/2006 P1 (McNaught) great?
This comet is very similar with comet West. It can be included in this article. What do you think? 195.189.142.220 18:47, 10 January 2007 (UTC)
- It's pushing the definition. Yes it's bright, but viewing is impaired by close proximity to the Sun and very small size. Observing it on Mt Soledad on 12 JAN, very few people could see it even when pointed out to them. Most prople were there to watch the sunset and were not aware there was a comet visible. Rereading the main article, it may not fit the description as defined. Exaggeration could lead to future disappointment, something that has happened repeatedly with astronomical objects in the past. Robogun 01:42, 16 January 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Other great comets
According to this, comets Bennett (1969), NEAT (2003), Arend-Roland (1956), and Southern Comet (1947) were all as bright or brighter than mag. 0. Why aren't they in the article? Should they be included? Thanks. AstroHurricane001(Talk+Contribs+Ubx) 21:30, 12 January 2007 (UTC)
