Comet Lulin briefly lost its tail yesterday. In what is being called a "disconnection event," which sounds vaguely like something psychosomatic, a gust of solar wind tore off part of the comet's tail. Comet Lulin will come within 38 million miles (a trip to the corner store in astronomical terms) on Feb. 24. Meanwhile, tonight, the comet will be visible near the double star, Zubenelgenubi (pronounced "elephant,") in Libra.
As the Ward sisters and sister-in-law will be in O'Neil, Fla., with a still-fairly-dark sky next week, we will be watching for it. Here's what the tail thing looked like.
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