EARTHDATE: May 14, 2006

OFFICIAL NEWS
Page 6

Astronomers are ecstatic over the observations they have been making of a comet which is breaking up as it passes near Earth.

Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 will pass at its closest to Earth this weekend, about six million miles out. It orbits the sun every 5.4 years, but the way it is continuing to disintegrate may mean that it's on its last swing around the sun.

Astronomers first noticed in 1995 that the comet had split into several chunks. When it showed up again in March of this year, seven fragments could be seen, and two of them - designated B and C - were particularly bright. Those two fragments have been visible over the last few days with binoculars, and on occasion even with the naked eye.

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