Lovejoy the 'Great Christmas Comet'

Published: 8:02AM Friday December 23, 2011 Source: ONE News

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  • Lovejoy the 'Great Christmas Comet'  (Source: Stephen Chadwick)
    Lovejoy seen with a car commuting to Wellington lighting up the road. - Source: Stephen Chadwick
    Lovejoy the 'Great Christmas Comet'  (Source: Noel Munford)
    Comet Lovejoy. - Source: Noel Munford

Skywatchers around the country continue to document Comet Lovejoy, visible from the naked eye in the South East sky.

Early morning travellers in commercial jets in Australia have also reported seeing the comet.

In New Zealand early birds can view the spectacle after 3.30am, until sunrise.

Comet Lovejoy was discovered on December 2, by Australian Terry Lovejoy.

Just one of thousands of star-grazing comets which burn up in the sun's atmosphere, Lovejoy proved unique by passing through without disappearing.

Its long visible tail is a vapour caused by the sun, and experts warn that now is the time to view it, as the further it travels from the sun the smaller the tail will become.

Whether the comet warrants the moniker 'great' may be a debate for the Christmas dinner.

There's no scientific definition of a 'great comet', but generally the term is applied to comets which are visible to the naked eye, and spectacular.

Recent great comets include McNaught in 2007, Hale-Bopp in 1997, and Ikeya-Seki in 1965.

And for the superstitious, tradition has it that a great comet heralds the death of a tyrant, as North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il lies in state.

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