Comments on: WISE discovers its first comet https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/02/12/wise-discovers-its-first-comet/ Sat, 13 Feb 2010 06:37:03 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.8 By: MadScientist https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/02/12/wise-discovers-its-first-comet/#comment-514498 Sat, 13 Feb 2010 06:37:03 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/02/12/wise-discovers-its-first-comet/#comment-514498 Dang, Ben and Bob beat me to pointing out that should be billion. Just when I thought I’d uncovered a Young Solar System Conspiracy.

I envy NASA; my infrared camera can only see the moon (and the sun), but it comes up with an incorrect temperature for the moon (thanks to water in our atmosphere). (Incidentally it would also have the wrong temperature for the sun because the sun’s too hot for the poor camera to handle.)

]]> By: NewEnglandBob https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/02/12/wise-discovers-its-first-comet/#comment-514497 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:10:26 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/02/12/wise-discovers-its-first-comet/#comment-514497 Wait, guys…

4.5 Million years old.

4.5 Billion years old.

That is why I questioned it in the first place. I was wondering where ‘million’ came from.

]]> By: Deen https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/02/12/wise-discovers-its-first-comet/#comment-514496 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:16:47 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/02/12/wise-discovers-its-first-comet/#comment-514496 Because you can never talk about comets without discussing earth impacts.

]]> By: Greg Laden https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/02/12/wise-discovers-its-first-comet/#comment-514495 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:58:23 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/02/12/wise-discovers-its-first-comet/#comment-514495 Benjamin: Right. That’s the comet theory, and that’s why they say that about this coment. Off hand I was not sure if the comet/early solar system connection starts with the dating of a bunch of comets, or if the comets are known to be that old because they must be.

I’m pretty sure efforts have been made to date comets using detailed spectrographic analysis, but have been inconclusive. Maybe someone who knows will chime in.

]]> By: Benjamin Franz https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/02/12/wise-discovers-its-first-comet/#comment-514494 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:16:42 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/02/12/wise-discovers-its-first-comet/#comment-514494 FTA:

It probably formed around the same time as our solar system, about 4.5 billion years ago

😉

]]> By: Greg Laden https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/02/12/wise-discovers-its-first-comet/#comment-514493 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:45:15 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/02/12/wise-discovers-its-first-comet/#comment-514493 NEB: First, they are all about that old. Second, you can tell by using science.

Actually, I’m not sure. Spectral isotopes or something.

i read this here first, and not at Bad Astronomy!

NASA pretty much checks with me first on these things.

]]> By: NewEnglandBob https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/02/12/wise-discovers-its-first-comet/#comment-514492 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:37:31 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/02/12/wise-discovers-its-first-comet/#comment-514492 “…and about 4.5 million years old”

How is this known?

]]> By: rob https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/02/12/wise-discovers-its-first-comet/#comment-514491 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:36:01 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/02/12/wise-discovers-its-first-comet/#comment-514491 ha. i read this here first, and not at Bad Astronomy!

you just gotta razz Phil!

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