GARCHING, Germany, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- Astronomers at the European Southern Observatory report obtaining the first detailed observations from comet McNaught, including signs of sodium.
Using the ESO's New Technology Telescope in Chile, the team of European astronomers has obtained images showing spectacular jets of gas from the comet spiraling several thousands of miles into space. And within the comet's tail the scientists identified the presence of sodium, something seen very rarely, they said.
Although visible only from the southern hemisphere, the comet earned its "Great Comet" title because it is the brightest comet to be observed from Earth in 40 years.
"We had previously pointed the (telescope) very low to observe the planet Mercury, which is very close to the sun and is therefore only visible low in the sky just after sunset," said ESA astronomer Colin Snodgrass.
Starting on Jan. 29, the comet was thus observed with the New Technology Telescope, yielding both imaging and spectroscopic observations across the visible wavelength range.
The ESO says its astronomers' research was presented to the International Astronomical Union.
