A Fragile Beauty
There is a spectacle going on in the sky, and relatively nearby, in a cosmic sense. It involves a comet, Schwassmann-Wachman 3.
This visitor is not like other comets, plunging into the inner Solar System from the depths of space. Instead, it belongs to an interesting group of comets that orbit closer to the Sun and have notably shorter orbital periods, almost five years five months for this comet. As of tonight, though, it just isn't that interesting to look at. At least over the heavily lit Southside of Jacksonville. For even though it is a relatively dry night, it still has to compete with the lights of shopping centers and neighborhoods as it sat low, just east of the better part of the constellation of Hercules. If I could wait another three hours until it is higher, its apparition will improve, but alas I have a day job.
But I digress.
The main point of this essay has to do with a very visible reminder that nothing is permanent. Comet Schwassman - Wachmann is dying. In fact, all comets die a little at a time, but in the case of this short period comet, we are witness to its final death throes. How long these will last is anyone guess, however they were first noted about 15 years ago.
Thanks to popular science and movies ("Armageddon" and "Deep Impact" being recent examples), we think of comets as impressive and fairly tough. Thanks to the aptly named Deep Impact probe, however, we've discovered that instead that have a consistency similar to marangue; it crashed an imapct probe into comet Tempel 1 and blasted out much more material than anticipated, indicating a pretty weak surface. This does very little for their image as planet-killers!
As this comet continues to break-up, it will occasionally flare and dim down. At some point, perhaps this trip round, perhaps next, who knows, it will simply break apart into smaller fragments that will not last long under the intense bombardment of the solar winds. Soon, where once was a comet there will simply be a loose conglameration of material whirling around in an orbit that last a little less than five and a half years; from dust it was created, to dust it will return.
And what a wonderful analogy. I suppose that, in a very real sense, we're like these celestial visitors, going about our lives, occasionally showing moments of brilliance unmatched in our lives, but all the while racing the clock of our own mortality on this plane. For soon, much like this comet, we too shall return to dust.
Don't dwell on that thought, though. Instead, while we still have our moment under the Sun, we should live in the beauty of Creation, and do as we are expected to and endowed by the Creator.
Right now, Schwassmann - Wachmann 3 is but a faint smudge in my binoculars, barely visible. Soon, in a week or so, it will brighten, perhaps one last time. At some point in the future, the only reminder we'll have that it was ever around will be dust, perhaps even a meteor shower. I pray that we all may have many more trips around the Sun.
This visitor is not like other comets, plunging into the inner Solar System from the depths of space. Instead, it belongs to an interesting group of comets that orbit closer to the Sun and have notably shorter orbital periods, almost five years five months for this comet. As of tonight, though, it just isn't that interesting to look at. At least over the heavily lit Southside of Jacksonville. For even though it is a relatively dry night, it still has to compete with the lights of shopping centers and neighborhoods as it sat low, just east of the better part of the constellation of Hercules. If I could wait another three hours until it is higher, its apparition will improve, but alas I have a day job.
But I digress.
The main point of this essay has to do with a very visible reminder that nothing is permanent. Comet Schwassman - Wachmann is dying. In fact, all comets die a little at a time, but in the case of this short period comet, we are witness to its final death throes. How long these will last is anyone guess, however they were first noted about 15 years ago.
Thanks to popular science and movies ("Armageddon" and "Deep Impact" being recent examples), we think of comets as impressive and fairly tough. Thanks to the aptly named Deep Impact probe, however, we've discovered that instead that have a consistency similar to marangue; it crashed an imapct probe into comet Tempel 1 and blasted out much more material than anticipated, indicating a pretty weak surface. This does very little for their image as planet-killers!
As this comet continues to break-up, it will occasionally flare and dim down. At some point, perhaps this trip round, perhaps next, who knows, it will simply break apart into smaller fragments that will not last long under the intense bombardment of the solar winds. Soon, where once was a comet there will simply be a loose conglameration of material whirling around in an orbit that last a little less than five and a half years; from dust it was created, to dust it will return.
And what a wonderful analogy. I suppose that, in a very real sense, we're like these celestial visitors, going about our lives, occasionally showing moments of brilliance unmatched in our lives, but all the while racing the clock of our own mortality on this plane. For soon, much like this comet, we too shall return to dust.
Don't dwell on that thought, though. Instead, while we still have our moment under the Sun, we should live in the beauty of Creation, and do as we are expected to and endowed by the Creator.
Right now, Schwassmann - Wachmann 3 is but a faint smudge in my binoculars, barely visible. Soon, in a week or so, it will brighten, perhaps one last time. At some point in the future, the only reminder we'll have that it was ever around will be dust, perhaps even a meteor shower. I pray that we all may have many more trips around the Sun.
posted by Robert at 9:06 PM
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