Comet McNaught, 19th January 2007

Comet McNaught. This comet, also known as C/2006 P1, was the brightest to appear in the sky since Ikeya-Seki in 1965. Due to its proximity to the Sun it could only be seen at dusk. It was visible in the Northern Hemisphere until 13th January 2007, when it passed the Sun and became a Southern Hemisphere object. It attained a maximum brightness of magnitude -6 around 14th January. The tail is formed of particles of ice and dust expelled by the comet as it was heated by the Sun. The comet was discovered by Rob McNaught of Siding Spring Observatory on 7th August 2006. Photographed from Siding Spring Observatory, Australia, at 10:22 GMT on 19th January 2007.

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Keywords: 19/01/2007, 2007, astronomical, astronomy, australia, australian, c/2006 p1, comet, comet mcnaught, cometary, dusk, dust tail, evening, night sky, rob mcnaught, siding spring observatory, solar system, solar wind, southern hemisphere, space, tail, twilight