Comet 45P / Honda-Mrkosa-Paidushakova returns to the inner part of the solar system after a 5-year absence. This week it can be seen through binoculars or a small telescope.
An unusual green comet reaches its maximum brightness on Saturday, providing a spectacular view for all comers.
Comet 45P / Honda-Mrkos-Paidushakova (named after the three astronomers who discovered it in 1948) moves into the inner solar system every 5.25 years. On Saturday, it will be just 7.4 million miles from Earth. By heavenly standards, it’s just a stone’s throw away.
Prepare binoculars or a small telescope to detect comet 45P in the predawn sky from Thursday to Sunday. “It will pass through the constellation of Hercules in the eastern part of the sky,” says SpaceWeather.com. In appearance, it resembles a fuzzy blue-green ball with a tail that resembles a fan. The color is created by evaporating di-carbon (this gas glows green in the near space vacuum).
The center of small planets informs that the upcoming passage will be the eighth, since surveillance was opened only in 1950. It should come even closer than in 2011 (in the upper photo), but this century is the last closest passage.
“The proximity makes the comet bright, despite its relatively small size,” writes SpaceWeather.com. - "Weather forecasters say that 45P can be detected even with the naked eye."
