2013: The Year of the CometsNicholas West In the midst of our busy lives its difficult to keep in mind that we reside on a ballthatscorkscrewingthrough space around a ball of gas called our sun, which is also sweeping through our galaxy. The ancients didnt have distractions like TVs and the Internet. They looked to the sky for clues and guidance for life on Earth, and comets brought mythology of angry gods and instilled fear in them. Strangely, in more modern times, comets have been associated with actual dark events. According to NASA: The Romans recorded that a fiery comet marked the assassination of Julius Caesar, and another was blamed for the extreme bloodshed during the battle between Pompey and Caesar. In England, Halleys Comet was blamed for bringing the Black Death. The Incas, in South America, even record a comet having foreshadowed Francisco Pizarros arrival just days before he brutally conquered them. So what are we to make of the possibility of two Great Comets flying by Earth in 2013? Astronomers have discovered two new comets that are fast approaching our planet and have the potential to be Great Comets. One might be bright enough to be seen in the day and the other is projected to become one of the brightest in history and possibly outshine the Moon. The first comet, named C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS), is expected to make its arrival in March 2013. According to astronomers, it will be potentially visible to the naked eye low in the western horizon just after sunset and also has the potential that it may be visible during the day. Richard Wainscoat, an astronomer at the University of Hawaii who co-discovered the comet, claims there is no danger of collision with Earth but admits since we dont have a lot of data on it, we really dont know the orbit well enough right now. The second comet, the one which could possibly outshine the Moon, was only just discovered this September and is called2012 S1 (ISON). Astronomers predict current orbital predictions indicate the comet will look brightest to us in the weeks just after its closest approach to the sun, on November 28, 2013. Comet ISON may be visible for the last two months of the year as well as early 2014 and is the more likely of the two to be a spectacular event: This comet is considered to be larger than most at 3 kilometers wide (roughly 2 miles) adding to the anticipation of its arrival. It, too, may be visible during the day according to astronomers. The last Great Comet highly visible from Earth, Hale-Bopp, arrived 16 years ago in 1997. So we are long overdue considering the average of one-per-decade. Although very little major news occurred in 1997, the last 16 years have been perhaps the most tumultuous in human history from 9/11 and the war on terror to a devastating financial collapse, both of which have still not peaked. Astronomers are cautious not to make wild predictions about approaching comets, always adding the caveat that they never really know how comets will react as they get closer to the sun. Yet, it does seem significant that 2013 may have two Great Comets. Will one of them be a Harbinger of Doom and bring dark times with it? As the world braces for the end of the much discussed Mayan Calendar on December 21st, 2012, these comets only add more intrigue to cosmic conspiracies. The authorities and media downplay end of the world talk which is probably the responsible thing to do to stave off panic.However, its increasingly difficult to know where to find the truth. And NASA isnt exactly known for its honesty either, sometimes being referred to as Never A Straight Answer. Even if we wont get a straight answer from NASA, we should heed the advice they gave to their staff to be prepared to survive potential emergencies: Read other articles by Nicholas West Here 