New Comet Announced

NASA Space Science News

Yesterday astronomers announced the discovery of a new comet that will likely become a naked-eye object before Christmas 2001. C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR) is now a dim 17th magnitude speck in the constellation Cassiopeia. By late next year its brightness could soar to 4th magnitude or better as it passes 0.33 AU from our planet.

CME and Aurora Watch

A coronal mass ejection (CME) that left the Sun on Monday traveling ~345 km/s could hit Earth's magnetosphere tonight. Forecasters estimate a 10 to 15% chance of severe geomagnetic activity at middle latitudes when the CME arrives. Aurora watchers should also be alert for Ursid meteors after nightfall on Thursday. Astronomers anticipate an outburst of 100 or more shooting stars per hour when our planet passes through a dusty debris stream from periodic comet Tuttle.