Help!! I'm trying to find information on an event that occurred in the early 70's. I don't remember if it was a planet or a star but it was very close to earth and was HUGE!!! I remember my mom waking me and my sister up to see it because it is an event that only happens every 100 years. My searches have been fruitless. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!! Margarita
Comet Kohoutek From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia There are two other long-period comets named Kohoutek: C/1969 O1 (a.k.a. 1970 III, 1969b), and C/1973 D1 (a.k.a. 1973 VII, 1973e). This comet should also not be confused with the short period comet 75D/Kohoutek. C/1973 E1(Kohoutek) Comet-S74-17688.jpg A color photograph of the comet Kohoutek taken on 11 January 1974. Discovery Discovered by Luboš Kohoutek Discovery date 7 March 1973 Alternative designations "Comet of the Century" Orbital characteristics A Epoch 1973-Dec-24 Perihelion 0.1424 AU Eccentricity 1.000008 (drops below 1 in 1977) Inclination 14.3 Last perihelion 1973-Dec-28 Orbits of Comet Kohoutek and Earth Kohoutek-uv False color image of Comet Kohoutek as photographed with the far-ultraviolet electrographic camera during a Skylab spacewalk on December 25, 1973. Comet Kohoutek, formally designated C/1973 E1, 1973 XII, and 1973f, was first sighted on 7 March 1973 by Czech astronomer Luboš Kohoutek. It attained perihelion on 28 December that same year. Comet Kohoutek is a long-period comet; its previous apparition was about 150,000 years ago, and its next apparition will be in about 75,000 years.[1] At its apparition in 1973 it had a hyperbolic trajectory (e > 1) due to gravitational perturbations from giant planets. Due to its path, scientists theorized that Kohoutek was an Oort-cloud object. As such, it was believed that this was the comet's first visit to the inner Solar System, which would result in a spectacular display of outgassing. Infrared and visual telescopic study have led many scientists to conclude, in retrospect, that Kohoutek is actually a Kuiper-belt object, which would account for its apparent rocky makeup and lack of outgassing.[2] Before its close approach, Kohoutek was hyped by the media as the "comet of the century". However, Kohoutek's display was considered a let-down,[3] possibly due to partial disintegration when the comet closely approached the sun prior to its Earth flyby. Since this was probably the comet's first visit to the inner Solar System, it would have still contained large amounts of frozen volatiles since its creation. Although it failed to brighten to levels expected, it was still a naked-eye object. Its greatest visual magnitude was -3, when it was at perihelion, 0.14 AU (21,000,000 km; 13,000,000 mi) from the Sun. Its orbital inclination is 14.3°. Its best viewing was in the night sky after perihelion, when it had dimmed to fourth magnitude. The comet also sported a tail up to 25° long, along with an anti-tail. C/1973 E1 should not be confused with the periodic comet 75D/Kohoutek, which can also be called "Comet Kohoutek" (as could the comets C/1969 O1 and C/1973 D1, also discovered by Luboš Kohoutek as sole discoverer). This comet was observed by the crew of Skylab 4 and Soyuz 13, thus becoming the first comet to be observed by a manned spacecraft.
International Comet Quarterly COMET C/1970 K1 (WHITE-ORTIZ-BOLELLI; O.S. 1970 VI). Seen visually only from the 18th of May until the first week of June; T = 1970 May 14. A member of the Kreutz sungrazing group of comets. Observable strictly from the southern hemisphere. Visible only very briefly after sunset within the evening twilight. At discovery (May 18), of first magnitude. Over the course of the next week, the tail attained a length of 12-15 degrees. Comet faded at an extraordinary rate. Lost to the naked eye by May 31, and soon thereafter even to large instruments, as the comet once again moved to conjunction with the sun. Could have been this.
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