THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 20, 1996 TAG: 9603200459
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMES SCHULTZ, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines
A comet named Hyakutake is coming to a patch of sky near you. And if astronomers' predictions hold true, this unexpected astral visitor could produce a cosmic light show the likes of which haven't been seen for at least a generation.
``This will be the brightest comet in most people's recent lifetimes,'' said Dave Maness, director of astronomy for the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News. ``Anyone under 30 won't have seen any brighter body - other than the sun and moon - in the sky.''
The comet, pronounced HYAH-KOO-TAH-KAY, will skim the inner solar system, passing a mere 9 million miles from Earth at its closest approach. By Sunday, beginning around 10:30 p.m., the comet could dominate the northern nighttime sky, eventually appearing bigger than a full moon and outshining the most radiant star.
The comet was first identified seven weeks ago, on January 30, by Japanese amateur astronomer Yuji Hyakutake, who was using a pair of powerful binoculars to hunt the skies for roving objects like comets and asteroids. His unanticipated success brought Hyakutake's namesake to the attention of astronomers worldwide, who now believe the comet makes a pass around the sun once every 10,000 years.
Although devoted sky-watchers have been following Hyakutake's progress with binoculars - it currently appears as a faint, fuzzy blur in the post-midnight sky - the comet should blossom in intensity in the next several days. Through most of next week, barring thick cloud cover or lingering storms, this is one interplanetary wanderer that will garner easy notice with nothing stronger than a pair of eyes, scientists say.
``You won't need to go to an observatory to see this,'' said Robert Hitt, director of the Chesapeake Planetarium. ``It will be easily visible in a dark location, somewhere out in the countryside. Get away from malls, parking lots and bright lights.''
Astronomers say Hyakutake will remain visible, at varying luminosity, through the end of April.
Observers have noticed a distinct brightening of the comet, which will increase the closer Hyakutake gets to the sun.
Depending on how large the amount of debris, or tail, Hyakutake trails in its wake, the comet could cover a larger portion of the sky than a full moon.
``The last bright comet was one in 1976 - Comet West,'' Hitt said. ``Compared to this, Halley's Comet (last seen in 1986) was a dud. (Hyakutake) just snuck up on us. It's surprising.''
Comets are the stepchildren of solar system formation, aggregations of rock, dust and ices composed of water, carbon dioxide and ammonia. Most that rocket across Earth's field of view are thought to originate in the Oort Cloud, a vast collection of comets and cometlike debris that lurks beyond the farthest fringes of the solar system.
Astronomically speaking, Comet Hyakutake's jaunt past Earth will be a close shave, the closest in some 300 years. Comet Lexell set the up-close-and-personal record in 1770, sliding by the planet at a little over 1 million miles away.
Huge damage can result when the occasional comet or asteroid collides with Earth. Just last year, researchers presented evidence tying the formation of the Chesapeake Bay to the impact of an asteroid millions of years ago. A gigantic asteroid has been implicated in the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Some claim that a comet is to blame for a 1908 explosion that leveled trees for hundreds of square miles in a remote Siberian forest. And the world watched in fascination in July 1994 as comet fragments slammed into Jupiter.
In general, however, cataclysmic cosmic collisions are rare.
``The odds of us getting hit by one of these things are very, very low,'' said Bruce Hanna, director of Old Dominion University's Pretlow Planetarium.
Whatever doubts there are about this latest visitor concern its ultimate luminosity. Predictions of comet brightness have fizzled before: notably, Comet Kohoutek, which in 1973 never lived up to its brilliant billing.
But those savvy in astronomy say Hyakutake will probably shine unlike nearly all others.
``Halley's Comet (in 1986) never got to be a naked-eye kind of thing here in Norfolk,'' Hanna said. ``It's neat this thing has popped up and is coming by us. (Hyakutake) should be a great light show.'' ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
KRT
FIRE IN THE SKY: COMET HYAKUTAKE
SOURCE: Tycho Brahe Planetarium, Times Atlas
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
Color photo
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A 20-minute time exposure of Comet Hyakutake taken March 16 in
Stedman, N.C.
Graphic
COMET WATCH
Want to keep tabs on Comet Hyakutake? Call INFOLINE at 640-5555 and
press category LOOK (5665). Daily updates from Chesapeake
Planetarium Director Robert Hitt will continue through April 3.
by CNB