Rare green comet, and lunar eclipse occurs tonight - is this a sign of something sinister?

Comet and eclipse will both be a challenge to see.

Skywatchers are in for a double treat tonight, but most folks are likely to be disappointed. Two celestial events are taking place that will draw hard-core astronomers outside, but few others. Here's why.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) -- Two celestial events are happening tonight, but neither one will be easy to enjoy. First, there is a partial lunar eclipse which will be visible almost everywhere. Southwestern Alaska, eastern Siberia, Korea, Japan and Australia will miss out. But they're not missing much. The eclipse is penumbral, meaning the Moon passes through the outer edge of Earth's shadow.

When the moon passes through the outer shadow, it takes on a coppery color, but it does not turn black as it does when it passes through the middle of Earth's shadow. The eclipse will be worth seeing, but it isn't something people are likely to talk about because it won't be as dramatic as it could be.

At the same time the eclipse is happening, a comet will pass close 72 million miles from Earth. That's close for a comet, but it isn't too close. The distance is about thirteen times the average distance between the Earth and Moon.

The comet is 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdušáková, and it is green in color, a product of its chemical composition. Green is an uncommon color for comets, but it isn't unusual either. The color is distinctive and that can help with spotting it.

Unfortunately, the comet is dimmer than magnitude 7, so it cannot be seen with the naked eye. In fact, even in binoculars, it will be hard to spot. A telescope is the best instrument to use.

The full moon will also be bright making it harder to spot the comet.

Some people are wondering if the double event has any greater meaning. After all, it is quite uncommon to have a comet pass close by on the same night as a lunar eclipse. And comets and eclipses are both associated with sinister events, such as pestilence and war.

Statisticians have searched for mathematical correlations between astronomical events and events on Earth and they have proved there is no correlation between the two. That means rare celestial events have no impact on Earth. But still, there are skeptics who doubt these conclusions. The question of whether these are signs in the heavens of something more will be left to individual opinion.

The final bad news for tonight is that poor weather, including clouds and cold are likely to spoil the event for most, particularly in the United States. Still, 2017 is expected to be an exciting year for comets and eclipses and while we are off to a poor start, more exciting events are ahead.

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