Comet C/2006 P1 (McNaught) - facts and figures
Comet C/2006 P1 (McNaught) has exceeded astronomer’s expectations and has become the brightest comet in over 40 years.
At its brightest
around Monday 2007/01/15 Comet C/2006 P1 (McNaught) was about:
• 70 per cent brighter than 1975’s Comet C/1975 V1 (West), and
• 50 times brighter than 1995’s Comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp),
• but still 5 times fainter than 1965’s Comet C/1965 S1 (Ikeya-Seki).
Comet McNaught's tail appears to the unaided eye to span at least 5° across the sky. This corresponds to a length of about 10 million km! More detail and greater extent is revealed in time exposure photographs.
Comet C/2006 P1 (McNaught) was discovered by astronomer Rob McNaught at Siding Spring Observatory, NSW, in August 2006.
General information about comets can be found in the Solar System information part of this website.
Where to View Comet McNaught
The comet has been visible (weather permitting) from tropical and temperate latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere since about Monday 2007/01/15. It is fading as it moves away from the Sun and should be visible until about Wednesday 2007/01/24. After that date the Moon will brighten the sky and reduce the visibility of the comet. However, after this date it may be still worth searching for the comet.
The best viewing time is after 9pm.
The sky map will assist observers find the comet. Note that the rotation of the Earth causes the position of the comet to get closer to the horizon (and eventually set) as time progresses (as it does for all celestial objects).
Comet McNaught's Orbit
Comet McNaught is a component of the Solar System and orbits the Sun. Its orbit is very elongated and inclined nearly perpendicular to the plane of the Solar System. The comet's orbital motion is not perceptible during an evening's viewing but changes its position from night-to-night as indicated in the sky map. The orbital period of the comet is very long - probably of the order of 100,000 years.
Detailed Ephemeris (and more data)
Here is a detailed ephemeris (properties and parameters as a function of time) for Comet McNaught for times when it is just above the horizon, and just after sunset or just before sunrise as viewed from Perth. Note: Comet brightness is notoriously variable.
