Comet C/2006 P1 McNaught

The brightest comet to be seen in 42 years approached to within 0.17 AU of the Sun on 12 January 2007. Predictions of a bright comet proved correct, and the comet put on a magnificent display for southern hemisphere observers.

Comet C/2006 P1 McNaught at the beach. Photo by Michael Mattiazzo.

Quick facts

• The comet is not an atmospheric phenomenon. It is a solar system body that was situated 135 to 150 million kms from the Earth at its closest approach. The moon is 300,000kms away for comparison.
• The head is about 10-20 kms across (bigger than Mt Everest)
• The inner coma surrounding the head is over 4 times larger than Earth with the full coma size likely to be half as large as the Sun.
• The tail stretched 0.2 AU, or 30 million kms from the head out to space (assuming 15 degrees).
• Enormous tons of water vapour and dust are being emitted from the comet every second. The exact figure is not known.
• Comets developed in the outer solar system, are therefore icy, gassy, dusty objects.
• The comet will not collide with Earth. It was closest to Earth on 15 January at 122 million kms distant.
• The comet will not return.

Images

The finest image taken of the comet so far has been by its discoverer. Visit Rob McNaught's web site for his images.

The following photos of Comet McNaught were taken by ASSA members and the public between 15 - 22 January 2007.

Comet McNaught on 15 January. Photo by Damian Sparkes		Comet McNaught setting behind Belair, Adelaide on 15 January. Photo by Phillip Pudney
Taken from the beach at West Beach on the evening of 15 January with a Nikon D70 digital SLR and 300mm telephoto lens. Photo by Paul Doherty		Comet McNaught on 15 January. Photo by Tony Virgo
Comet McNaught taken from Aldinga Beach on 15 January. Photo by Richard Baxter.		Taken on a pocket digital camera against eyepiece of a 20x60 spotting 'scope. Photo by Gerry Velaitis.
Comet McNaught on 16 January from McElligotts Reserve, Carrick Hill, South Australia. Photo by John Hisco		Comet NcNaught from the beach, including the end of Brighton Jetty. Photo by Fraser Farrell
Comet McNaught on 17 January. Photo by Chris Balog		Nikon D70 and 80-400mm VR lens with UV filter, ISO 200, f11 on 16 January. Photo by Paul Haese
Image of Comet McNaught taken from Eagle on the Hill, South Australia on 17 January. Photo by Dan Edmonds		Comet McNaught taken from Pasadena South Australia on 17 January. Photo by Ross Lloyd
Comet McNaught on 17 January. Photo by Simon Saunders		The comet taken at Henley Beach (jetty at bottom of image) on 16 January. Photo by Rob Davenport.
Brighton Jetty with Comet McNaught. Photo by Chris Doherty		An image of Comet McNaught taken with a point-and-shoot digital camera. Photo by Martin Lewicki.
Comet McNaught from the beach at Scarborough, Perth. Photo by Trevor Burt.		Comet McNaught taken from Carrick Hill SA with a Konica Minolta 7D, Sigma 70-300mm at 300mm, ISO 800. Photo by Julian Foong.
14 stacked images of Comet McNaught on 15 January. Photo by Andrew Cool.		Padraic Koen
Photo by Paul Thompson		Comet McNaught taken with an Olympus Camedia550 from the Barossa Valley, South Australia. Photo by David Mathew.
Photo of Comet McNaught taken on 18 January from Louis' front garden in Karrinyup, Perth. Photo by Louis Voortman.		Taken at Queenstown witha point-and-shoot camera. Photo by Burton Day.
McNaught's tail blazing through a hole in the clouds on 20 January. Photo by Lynton Hemer.		Dave Carroll took this photo on 21 January 2007 from 30km inland of Eden, NSW.
Taken from Clare Valley on 21 January 2007. Photo by Rob Garrett.		Photo taken from The Esplanade at North Glenelg. 10-second exposure at f/3.2 with a 13-45mm lens set to 18mm. Photo by Damian Sparkes
Photo by Michael Macnamara.		Taken from Fleuriea Peninsula, South Australia. Photo by Phillip Pudney.
Taken from Fleuriea Peninsula, South Australia. Photo by Phillip Pudney.		5 minute guided exposure from Fisherman's Beach, South Australia on 23 January 2007. Photo by Tony Virgo.
Comet P1 McNaught on 22 January taken with a Canon 20D 17mm lens at f/4.5 ISO 1600. Photo by Will Godward.		Richard Baxter took this image of Comet McNaught from Milang, South Australia.
This photo closely resembles how Comet McNaught appeared to the naked eye from Brighton Beach. Photo by Fraser Farrell.		Comet McNaught on 22 January from Mt Lofty, Adelaide. Photo by Andrew Vidale.

Ephemeris

Ephemeris item details:
ACDT=australian central daylight time
RA=right ascension
dec=declination
r=distance from comet to sun in astronomical units
delta=distance from comet to earth in AU
mag=approximate brightness of comet
Elong=elongation from the sun
Phase=earth-comet-sun angle

Date (ACDT)     RA             dec           r        delta  mag Elong Phase
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 Jan 2007 21  19h34m49.45s  -10 45' 21.7"  0.1965  0.9440 -1.2  11.5  95.8
11 Jan 2007 21  19h42m54.34s  -12 36' 10.1"  0.1799  0.9020 -1.7   9.8 111.9
12 Jan 2007 21  19h51m08.57s  -15 07' 16.1"  0.1714  0.8655 -2.0   7.7 129.5
13 Jan 2007 21  19h59m07.04s  -18 15' 16.8"  0.1728  0.8381 -2.0   5.9 144.3
14 Jan 2007 21  20h06m26.78s  -21 45' 42.1"  0.1837  0.8220 -1.8   5.6 148.7
15 Jan 2007 21  20h12m57.48s  -25 19' 52.0"  0.2020  0.8169 -1.4   7.3 141.8
16 Jan 2007 21  20h18m41.16s  -28 43' 33.1"  0.2255  0.8206 -0.9   9.9 131.1
17 Jan 2007 21  20h23m45.56s  -31 49' 30.3"  0.2520  0.8309 -0.4  12.7 120.7
18 Jan 2007 21  20h28m19.09s  -34 35' 38.8"  0.2802  0.8458  0.1  15.4 111.5
19 Jan 2007 21  20h32m28.84s  -37 02' 38.8"  0.3092  0.8638  0.6  17.8 103.7
20 Jan 2007 21  20h36m20.27s  -39 12' 20.1"  0.3386  0.8838  1.0  20.0  97.0
21 Jan 2007 21  20h39m57.44s  -41 06' 51.3"  0.3680  0.9051  1.4  22.0  91.2
22 Jan 2007 21  20h43m23.38s  -42 48' 17.2"  0.3972  0.9271  1.8  23.7  86.2
23 Jan 2007 21  20h46m40.32s  -44 18' 29.8"  0.4262  0.9496  2.2  25.4  81.9
24 Jan 2007 21  20h49m49.94s  -45 39' 06.0"  0.4549  0.9723  2.5  26.9  78.0
25 Jan 2007 21  20h52m53.54s  -46 51' 28.2"  0.4832  0.9950  2.8  28.3  74.7
26 Jan 2007 21  20h55m52.09s  -47 56' 45.9"  0.5112  1.0175  3.1  29.5  71.7
27 Jan 2007 21  20h58m46.39s  -48 55' 57.7"  0.5388  1.0398  3.4  30.7  69.0
28 Jan 2007 21  21h01m37.03s  -49 49' 52.8"  0.5660  1.0619  3.7  31.8  66.6
29 Jan 2007 21  21h04m24.51s  -50 39' 12.8"  0.5928  1.0836  3.9  32.9  64.4
30 Jan 2007 21  21h07m09.24s  -51 24' 33.0"  0.6193  1.1050  4.1  33.9  62.4
31 Jan 2007 21  21h09m51.54s  -52 06' 23.2"  0.6454  1.1260  4.4  34.8  60.6
 1 Feb 2007 21  21h12m31.70s  -52 45' 09.0"  0.6712  1.1467  4.6  35.7  58.9
 2 Feb 2007 21  21h15m09.94s  -53 21' 12.5"  0.6967  1.1669  4.8  36.6  57.4
 3 Feb 2007 21  21h17m46.47s  -53 54' 52.5"  0.7219  1.1867  5.0  37.4  56.0
 4 Feb 2007 21  21h20m21.45s  -54 26' 25.4"  0.7467  1.2062  5.1  38.2  54.7
 5 Feb 2007 21  21h22m55.02s  -54 56' 05.4"  0.7713  1.2252  5.3  39.0  53.5
 6 Feb 2007 21  21h25m27.33s  -55 24' 05.0"  0.7956  1.2439  5.5  39.7  52.4
 7 Feb 2007 21  21h27m58.48s  -55 50' 35.0"  0.8197  1.2621  5.6  40.5  51.4
 8 Feb 2007 21  21h30m28.56s  -56 15' 45.0"  0.8434  1.2800  5.8  41.2  50.4
 9 Feb 2007 21  21h32m57.68s  -56 39' 43.5"  0.8670  1.2975  5.9  41.9  49.5
10 Feb 2007 21  21h35m25.91s  -57 02' 38.1"  0.8903  1.3146  6.1  42.6  48.6
11 Feb 2007 21  21h37m53.32s  -57 24' 35.3"  0.9133  1.3314  6.2  43.3  47.8
12 Feb 2007 21  21h40m19.97s  -57 45' 41.3"  0.9362  1.3477  6.4  44.0  47.1
13 Feb 2007 21  21h42m45.94s  -58 06' 01.2"  0.9588  1.3638  6.5  44.7  46.4
14 Feb 2007 21  21h45m11.28s  -58 25' 39.9"  0.9812  1.3794  6.6  45.3  45.7
15 Feb 2007 21  21h47m36.03s  -58 44' 41.8"  1.0034  1.3948  6.7  46.0  45.1
16 Feb 2007 21  21h50m00.24s  -59 03' 10.7"  1.0255  1.4097  6.9  46.7  44.5
17 Feb 2007 21  21h52m23.95s  -59 21' 10.2"  1.0473  1.4244  7.0  47.3  43.9
18 Feb 2007 21  21h54m47.21s  -59 38' 43.4"  1.0690  1.4387  7.1  48.0  43.4
19 Feb 2007 21  21h57m10.06s  -59 55' 53.3"  1.0904  1.4528  7.2  48.6  42.9
20 Feb 2007 21  21h59m32.52s  -60 12' 42.6"  1.1118  1.4665  7.3  49.3  42.4
21 Feb 2007 21  22h01m54.63s  -60 29' 13.5"  1.1329  1.4799  7.4  49.9  41.9
22 Feb 2007 21  22h04m16.44s  -60 45' 28.4"  1.1539  1.4930  7.5  50.6  41.5
23 Feb 2007 21  22h06m37.99s  -61 01' 29.1"  1.1747  1.5058  7.6  51.2  41.0
24 Feb 2007 21  22h08m59.30s  -61 17' 17.4"  1.1954  1.5184  7.7  51.9  40.6
25 Feb 2007 21  22h11m20.42s  -61 32' 55.2"  1.2159  1.5307  7.8  52.5  40.2
26 Feb 2007 21  22h13m41.40s  -61 48' 23.8"  1.2363  1.5427  7.9  53.2  39.9
27 Feb 2007 21  22h16m02.27s  -62 03' 44.7"  1.2565  1.5544  7.9  53.8  39.5
28 Feb 2007 21  22h18m23.08s  -62 18' 59.2"  1.2766  1.5659  8.0  54.5  39.1