Two Comets in May

There are two fairly bright comets in the sky during May 2004. Although for the inexperienced viewer they are not easy to locate, there have not been such bright comets in the sky for some time. What is extremely unusual about them is the fact that two have appeared at the same time. Furthermore, they have both been discovered only recently, as opposed to comets known to visit close to the sun at regular intervals.

So these comets should be considered worth viewing by anyone interested in natural phenomena, and especially for teachers who wish to encourage their students of Physical Science or Geography through actively observing something unusual in the world around them, and not via the computer screen!

An illustrated guide to finding the comets in the sky has been prepared and is available on the following websites: 1) the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa: http://www.saao.ac.za/assa/html/monthofcomets.html (The guide is downloadable as an MS-Word document from this site); 2) the Astronomy Group at UKZN: http://chinstrap.ukzn.ac.za/astronomy/ (Click on Comet01 and Comet02. The guide can be copied and pasted into an MS-Word file.)

The information in the guide has been obtained from various internet sources and the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa (ASSA). Contact ASSA on 031-5647136 or 031-2662159.

Although the guide has been prepared specifically for Durban and KwaZulu Natal, the information applies at other Southern African locations with some adjustments in timing and map orientation.

For more information and possible help with a school programme, please contact Dr Dennis Engel, 031-2075857 or 083-6614775, dwe@telkomsa.net.

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