To Earth approaching two comets should we be afraid? – The Russian Times

Astronomers NEOWISE mission has detected two objects that approach the Earth. Reports about it “lentago” with reference to NASA.

the First of these objects, called 2016 WF9, was discovered by the NEOWISE project 27 November 2016, the Orbit of this object extends from nearly the orbit of Jupiter to the Sun. This object can be both a comet and a wandering asteroid originating from a population of dark objects of the Main asteroid belt. Object WF9 2016 gets closer to Earth, 25 February 2017, approaching her at a distance no closer than 51 million kilometers. The trajectory of this object is well studied and it poses no threat to our planet.

the Other of these two objects, called C/2016 U1, has a number of characteristic features that allows to classify it as a comet. This comet “has a good chance to be visible in good binoculars, although with confidence we can not say, since the brightness of the comet, unfortunately, is changing in unpredictable ways,” Paul said Kodas (Paul Chodas), Manager of the research center of near-earth objects located on the territory of the jet propulsion Laboratory, NASA, California, USA.

For observers from the Northern hemisphere during the first weeks of the new year comet C/2016 U1 NEOWISE will appear in the southeastern sky shortly before sunrise. Every day she would move to the South, and 14 January will be in the nearest to the Sun point of its orbit inside the orbit of mercury, then will go into the outer part of the Solar system, where he will remain for several thousand years. This comet is also not a threat to our planet.

the mission of the NEOWISE is part of the project Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) specifically to hunt for asteroids and comets.