Show Comet Speeds Toward Sol A comet that may be the brightest of the century will be visible in Utah's winter skies according to Dr Donald E E. E Groom director of the University University University Uni Uni- of Utah observatory Kohoutek's Comet will be become become become be- be come visible to the unaided eye sometime in November when it will appear as a morning star Scientists say Its brightness will increase until un until un- un til mId mid December December when it rounds the sun to reappear in the evening sky The comet is expected to disappear from view in mid Astronomers estimate the mass of the comet to be nearly one trillion tons equal to four times the weight of Mt Olympus Olympus Olympus pus located on the east side of the Salt Lake valley Brightness Brightness Brightness Bright Bright- ness is difficult to predict since it H de ends on n I ho the Ul wa p J Y the comet is affected by solar winds A comet Is much like a large dirty snowball As it approaches the sun a wind generated by energy from the solar surface blasts the ice and creates a tall tail which reflects light Dr Groom explains Little is known about the origin of comets Some like the well-known well Halley's Comet reappear periodically as they travel around the sun in an elongated eclipse while others swing through the solar system once and never return Since each trip past the sun erodes the size of a comet scientists conclude that those now in orbit must have been formed after the solar system came Into being Kohoutek's Comet is the sixth new one sighted this year Al Although Although Although Al- Al though astronomers have never observed the mechanism which permits the solar system to capture new comets into orbit approximately three would have to be captured each century in order to sustain the present number Kohoutek's Comet will be the most intensively studied to date and the first to be observed from space Observations around the globe are expected to study the celestial object In addition Skylab's third crew will observe its ultraviolet light which is filtered out by bythe bythe bythe the earths earth's atmosphere Close- Close up photographs will wUl be provided by the scheduled Mariner 10 Venus-Mercury Venus probe The public can view the comet through the inch 16 reflecting telescope housed in the University University University Uni Uni- of Utah observatory Reservations for Individuals or small groups may be made with the Department of Physics |