[SEL] 2006 Show season gets a reprieve...

[Steve W.]

April 27, 2006

Grey Hautaluoma/Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
(202) 358-0668/1726

RELEASE: 06-204

NASA CLARIFIES INFORMATION ON COMET APPROACH

NASA issued information Thursday about Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 
3, which will be passing Earth as it approaches the point nearest the 
sun during its 5.5 year orbit.

Astronomers have been observing the comet for more than 75 years. The 
trajectory of this comet has been monitored and refined over time, 
and its path around the sun is well understood.

The comet has broken into more than 40 fragments. Any pieces resulting 
from the breakup of its main body will come no closer than 5.5 
million miles to Earth, or more than 20 times the Earth-moon 
distance, during its closest approaches May 12 - 28. Neither the main 
comet nor any of its pieces pose a danger to Earth.

The main fragment C comet will pass closest to Earth on May 12 at a 
distance of approximately 7.3 million miles. It will be visible to 
small telescopes during the morning hours in the constellation 
Vulpecula. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope will observe the comet in 
May. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has also viewed it. For images and 
more information about the comet, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/hubble

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/home


-end-

Steve W.
Life is not like a box of chocolates
it's more like a jar of jalapenos-
what you do today could burn your ass tomorrow!