What makes a "Great Comet"

Guest Speaker

Thursday, 26th August 2021 (19:45 - 21:00)

Venue: Virtual Meeting

Hopefully, many members of the Mexborough & Swinton Astronomical Society saw Comet NEOWISE last summer. Although was a great comet to see, it wasn’t a “Great Comet”. That title is reserved to the best and brightest of the comets. But what is it about a comet that can make it a "Great Comet”? This talk will look at the physical and dynamical reasons that make comets “Great", illustrated by previous apparitions of these magnificent objects.

Speaker: Alan Fitzsimmons

Alan Fitzsimmons is a Professor in the Astrophysics Research Centre at Queen's University Belfast. He researches comets and asteroids that mostly orbit our Sun. Highlights of his work have been understanding the effects of the collision of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter, studying the first small asteroid predicted to enter our atmosphere, and investigating the first interstellar objects found passing through our Solar system. He saw his first comet in 1983 while walking to the pub, and hasn’t looked back since. He also still enjoys observing comets.