Wenfoto van komeet in Namibië gekiek

Gebeur een keer in ’n leeftyd
Die wenfoto van die Kersfeeskomeet, asook ander wat die kortlys gehaal het, is Saterdag in die Nasionale Maritieme Museum in Londen uitgestal.
Elvira Hattingh
Die wenfoto van vanjaar se Sterrekundige Fotograaf van die Jaar-kompetisie is in Namibië geneem – deur Gerald Rhemann, ‘n astrofotograaf van Oostenryk.

Hy het op Kersdag in 2021 vanaf die Tivoli-gasteplaas ‘n eenmaal-in-‘n-leeftyd-foto geneem van die komeet Leonard (komeet C/2021 A1), oftewel die Kersfeeskomeet, wat wys hoe ‘n stuk van sy stert afbreek en deur sonwind weggevoer word.

Die komeet het intussen vroeër vanjaar gedisintegreer en sal dus nie weer gesien kan word nie.

Die Royal Observatory Greenwich in London, wat jaarliks dié kompetisie aanbied, het in ‘n mediaverklaring gesê die foto is “verstommend”. Rhemann het dit die “Disconnection Event” gedoop.

Die wenfoto, asook ander wat die kortlys gehaal het, is Saterdag in die Nasionale Maritieme Museum in Londen uitgestal. Vanjaar was dit die 14de keer wat die kompetisie aangebied is en meer as 3 000 foto’s is van oraloor die wêreld ontvang.

“Vir talle sterrekundiges was hierdie komeet die hoogtepunt van die jaar, met bykans ‘n kwart van die inskrywings vir die kategorie planete, komete en asteroïedes, wat van komeet Leonard was. Dit was egter Rhemann s’n wat alle ander oortref het,” lui die observatorium se verklaring.

SELDSAAM

Rhemann het ‘n dramatiese oomblik in die lewe van ‘n komeet vasgevang: Die oomblik toe ‘n stuk van sy stert afgebreek het nadat dit deur sonkragdeeltjies met ‘n hoë snelheid getref is. Die seldsame foto is ook van groot waarde vir wetenskaplikes.

“Ek was baie gelukkig dat die weer by die Tivoli-plaas uitstekend was toe ek die dak van die observatorium oopgemaak het. Ek het besef dat die komeet se stert dramaties lyk in die eerste foto wat ek geneem het. Ek het toe besluit om ‘n wyer skoot in die tweede foto te neem – en dit is toe die stert afgebreek het.

“Hierdie toekenning is een van die hoogtepunte van my werk as astrofotograaf. All die werk wat daarin gegaan het om ‘n sukses van die foto te maak, was die moeite werd,” het Rhemann gesê.

Namibië word wêreldwyd as een van die beste “sterrekundige bestemmings” beskou omdat dit een van die lande is wat oor van die donkerste naghemels beskik.

Die sterrekundige Greg Leonard het die komeet op 3 Januarie 2021 ontdek, waarna dit in Desember verlede jaar, rondom Kersfees, sy naaste punt aan die aarde bereik het.

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Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 414.72/OZ UP +1.55% | Copper US$ 5.04/lb UP +4.12% | Zinc US$ 3 059.30/T UP 0.11% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 84.28/BBP UP +0.60% | Platinum US$ 1 084.88/OZ UP +2.19%