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mckitterick Feb. 24th, 2009 06:16 pm)
mckitterick Feb. 24th, 2009 06:16 pm)This comet is neat in so many ways: Discovered by a 19-year-old student from photos taken by the Taiwanese Lulin Observatory, it has two tails, is green, orbits in the reverse direction of the rest of the Solar System objects, and is on its first visit to the Inner Solar System from its home in the Oort Cloud!
Wow! Here's an image of it:
Click the image to see the story.
Tonight it passes closest to Earth, within 0.41 AU (38 million miles, or less than half the Earth-Sun distance), though it's just about as close for a few days before and after - until the Moon begins to interfere. You'll find it with a pair of binoculars or a small telescope between Saturn and the star Regulus, about magnitude 5. It's high up by late night, directly overhead at about 1:30am. Here's a map:
Click the image to see the more on how to find the comet.
It's supposed to be clear here in Kansas tonight... I'm still deathly ill, but this only happens once in the lifetime of a sequoia!
Best,
Chris
Wow! Here's an image of it:
Click the image to see the story.
Tonight it passes closest to Earth, within 0.41 AU (38 million miles, or less than half the Earth-Sun distance), though it's just about as close for a few days before and after - until the Moon begins to interfere. You'll find it with a pair of binoculars or a small telescope between Saturn and the star Regulus, about magnitude 5. It's high up by late night, directly overhead at about 1:30am. Here's a map:
Click the image to see the more on how to find the comet.
It's supposed to be clear here in Kansas tonight... I'm still deathly ill, but this only happens once in the lifetime of a sequoia!
Best,
Chris
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Erica's note: I saw a distinctively green blur in one of the binocular pics, although
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"In a very dark, unpolluted, natural night sky—such as few people see any more—the comet is dimly visible to the unaided eye."
—I thought—that's me! I'm one of those "few people." I'm in the wilds of West Virginia, between two ridges. There were thousands of stars out there tonight!
But when you see a smudge where there's supposed to be a comet, who can be sure?
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Tomorrow! I meant tomorrow! :)
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(I blame the fever-addled brain.)
:(|)
So tempted to drag out the telescope. It's not that cold (47°F), and it's clear out there.
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I'm sorry you're sick, hon.
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Oh, by the way, I just checked my planisphere, and Gemini is overhead right now, not Saturn in Leo. Two hours from now (plus 24) is the time to look! Do you have binoculars? You'll likely need that. And you'll probably be able to see Saturn in the same field of view!
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