Comet Tempel1’s shining moment bright but brief

THOSE who missed Comet Tempel1 last night may not have the opportunity to see it again, as astronomers are unsure how long more it will be visible for.

Estimates on its visibility range from just one night to several weeks, depending on the brightness of the comet, after the NASA mission, Deep Impact, exploded a probe on its surface.

“We don’t know yet how long the comet will actually be visible for, however it is likely to be days rather than weeks,” said editor of Astronomy Ireland, David Moore.