Comet 73P fragment B splits in two

An image taken last night clearly shows fragment B has split into two
roughly equal brightness components.

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/...2_image_80.htm

Robin
www.leadbeaterhome.fsnet.co.uk/astro.htm

On 22 Apr 2006 03:40:47 -0700, "robin_astro"
wrote:

An image taken last night clearly shows fragment B has split into two
roughly equal brightness components.

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/...2_image_80.htm

Robin
www.leadbeaterhome.fsnet.co.uk/astro.htm

Wow - well done Robin a nice catch there. Clouded out in Selsey last
night unfortunately. I wonder what the new fragment will be called?
--
Pete
http://www.digitalsky.org.uk

Pete Lawrence wrote:

I wonder what the new fragment will be called?

B-fore and B-hind?

;-)
Robin

On 22 Apr 2006 05:24:08 -0700, "robin_astro"
wrote:


Pete Lawrence wrote:

I wonder what the new fragment will be called?

B-fore and B-hind?

;-)

That's almost mandatory now - lol!

--
Pete
http://www.digitalsky.org.uk

"robin_astro" wrote in message
ups.com...

Pete Lawrence wrote:

I wonder what the new fragment will be called?

B-fore and B-hind?

;-)
Robin

lol! I like it.

George

On 22 Apr 2006 05:24:08 -0700, "robin_astro"
wrote:


Pete Lawrence wrote:

I wonder what the new fragment will be called?

B-fore and B-hind?

Interesting that the split has resulted in two nucleii that appear one
behind the other whereas the other bright fragments have wandered off,
for want of a better term, sideways.
--
Pete
http://www.digitalsky.org.uk

"Pete Lawrence" wrote in message
...
On 22 Apr 2006 05:24:08 -0700, "robin_astro"
wrote:


Pete Lawrence wrote:

I wonder what the new fragment will be called?

B-fore and B-hind?

Interesting that the split has resulted in two nucleii that appear one
behind the other whereas the other bright fragments have wandered off,
for want of a better term, sideways.
--
Pete
http://www.digitalsky.org.uk

Perhaps it was a "clean" calving, while the others were perhaps a bit more
violent. Just a thought. Or perhaps it has more to do with the rotation
the comet was in when each fragment split off.

George

In article , Pete Lawrence
wrote:

On 22 Apr 2006 05:24:08 -0700, "robin_astro"
wrote:


Pete Lawrence wrote:

I wonder what the new fragment will be called?

B-fore and B-hind?


Very nice image and a great catch. It's snowing here, so it' unlikely
that I'll get to image it tonight (I captured it last on April 18th,
2006).

Interesting that the split has resulted in two nucleii that appear one
behind the other whereas the other bright fragments have wandered off,
for want of a better term, sideways.

Would that not indicate a density and mass difference between the
fragments?

Objects of lower density should be much more affected by solar wind
than denser objects, which might explain some of deviations in other
fragements.

It will be interesting to see if the fragments remain close together or
if they star spreading apart into different orbits.

Milton Aupperle
www.outcastsoft.com

robin_astro wrote:
Pete Lawrence wrote:

I wonder what the new fragment will be called?

B-fore and B-hind?

;-)
Robin


Well, I have to cast a dissenting vote here over the positive vote over
the quality for this pun, and say . . . . ugh ! (^_^)

I also wonder if this is another fragmentation or a disconnection event.
I'm not an expert, but I've read of the latter things, and they were
documented on film during the 1910 Halley comet return. They can look
like fragments splintering off, but dissipate quickly. We'll just have
to wait and see what the new fragment (and no, I am refusing to call it
by "that name" (^_^) ) does in the next few days.

It probably is a fragmentation, but just bringing up another possibility.

But whatever it really is, great image Robin. Even if this comet
doesn't get too bright, it's going to be fun monitoring it !

Sincerely,
--- Dave Nakamoto
========================================
Miller's Daughter --- There, I was visited by a bizarre, strange imp of
a man.
Sam Shovel --- Pee Wee Herman?
Miller's Daughter --- Not THAT strange.

Robin wrote:
B-fore and B-hind?

Very nice. Even has an astronomical precedent--albeit in Latin: Yed
Prior and Yed Posterior. (Yed isn't Latin, I'm guessing.)

--
Brian Tung
The Astronomy Corner at http://astro.isi.edu/
Unofficial C5+ Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/c5plus/
The PleiadAtlas Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/pleiadatlas/
My Own Personal FAQ (SAA) at http://astro.isi.edu/reference/faq.html