The unusual comet 96P / Machholz is approaching the Sun today. The maximum convergence with our luminary, the comet will reach today on October 27, 2017.
A near-Earth periodic comet from the family of Jupiter’s comets will fly at a distance of 0.1239492 AU. (~ 18,592,380 km) from the Sun. The period of revolution of comet 96P / Machholz is approximately 5.29 years.
Comet accompanies a cloud of debris going before the main nucleus. Perhaps the amount of debris will increase as a result of the action of the Sun.
This is not an ordinary comet. 96P / Machholz has an “extremely abnormal molecular composition”. Chemically, it is not like other comets. Perhaps it flew from another star system, from where it was thrown into space, and then captured by the gravity of our Sun.
96P / Machholz will remain visible on SOHO images from now until October 30th.
