Kite accounts

1990/06/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Astronomia

Comet Austin has created great disappointment among astronomers. When astronomers discovered it it was very bright and it was predicted that, at the brightest moment (April and May), it would achieve the level of the star Vega or Begiurdin. However, from February its brightness level drops and the maximum has been more delicate than anyone thought.

Comet Austin is probably first introduced into the solar system after leaving the Oort cloud. The initial strong brightness is due to evaporation of frozen volatile gases from the surface, but as the amount of gases has been decreasing, the brightness of the comet has decreased.