Comets: Past, Present, and Future

Celestial events have long been associated as harbingers of doom. In the past, comet sightings were associated with change or seen as a bad omen. Today, we know that comets are left over from the formation of our solar system. Short period comets that have orbits less than 200 years originate from the Kuiper Belt, just outside of Neptune. Long period comets, which may come around once every thousands to millions of years originate from the Oort Cloud, 100 A.U. from the Sun. Recent sample missions have found that materials in these comets are similar to material found in the inner solar system but have been preserved in these frozen objects from the outer fringes of our solar system. (Credit: BBC Sky at Night Magazine) NAA member and veteran observer, Ron Ziss, will review current comets that may be observed and highlight the “devil comet” 12P/ Pons-Brooks, which may also be visible during the eclipse on April 8, 2024. Comets are exciting objects to view, but it may take practice to learn to “star hop” to locate them. If you are looking to add comet observing to your routine, or are simply interested in comets, you may want to check out Ron’s April fundamentals presentation. Our April Fundamentals Program will be held on April 16th at 7:30 pm, at the Naperville Municipal Center, located in downtown Naperville, at Aurora Ave. & Eagle St. The location is downstairs, in Meeting Room B. The public is welcome to attend, free of charge.