Comet Definition and 154 Threads

I spotted comet Machholz tonight in my backyard (basically a full moon) with my small scope (3.5" Refractor)...mainly b/c i didn't feel like bringing out the big boy. Is is me or i did not see much of a tail (really not a tail at all)...just the nucleus and the coma around it??...magnification...

Here is a news story about it - get out those trusty old 7x50 binoculars and take a look! http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=96&ncid=753&e=10&u=/space/20041207/sc_space/newcometnowvisibletonakedeye

why does the velocity of the comet increases as it comes near the planets

A comet is first observed at a distance of 1/3 AU from the Sun and traveling at a speed of twice the Earth' s orbital speed. Assuming that the Earth' s orbit is circular, argue from an energy viewpoint whether the comet' s orbit is elliptic, parabolic or hyperbolic. Now, I know the...