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Anyone seeing the comet?

Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,471 ✭✭✭✭

There's a comet visible now just after sunset. Last night, it was located exactly halfway between Venus and Arcturus (big red star) an hour after sunset. Tonight it will be a bit higher. It will be visible but moving higher and growing dimmer each night for a week or more.

I have a good amount of city light and wildfire smoke, but was able to just barely see it with my naked eyes, and better with 8X binos. Found it with binos first or I'd never have found it with bare eyes. The comet has passed around the sun and apparently broke up, which makes it a lot dimmer than forecast but there's still a fuzzy bright head and a long tail.

If you miss it, you can catch it next time - in 80,000 years.

I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.

Comments

  • pulsarncpulsarnc Member Posts: 6,517 ✭✭✭✭

    We were at the beach and saw it Saturday night . Impressive that we could see it ..

    cry Havoc and let slip  the dogs of war..... 
  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,471 ✭✭✭✭

    Another way to locate it is to hold your arm out and go two fists to the right of Venus, and up a bit.

    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
  • NeoBlackdogNeoBlackdog Member Posts: 17,241 ✭✭✭✭

    I'm down in a hole here so can't I see much to the west or east. Got great open views north and south. It was damnably inconvenient of them to put the comet where they did!

  • susiesusie Member Posts: 7,640 ✭✭✭✭

    Remembered to step out and look about 30 minutes too late. Just saw the tail. Need to set an alarm to remind myself tomorrow evening.

    I have learned to sort of look out of the corner of my eye to look for something like this. The rods and cones of our eyes are configured so that our peripheral vision will see things we don't see looking straight ahead.

  • montanajoemontanajoe Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 60,159 ******
  • dunbarboyzdunbarboyz Member Posts: 2,581 ✭✭✭✭

    Try binoculars it's like WOW difference.

  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,471 ✭✭✭✭

    We now have too much smoke for me to see it again. It was pretty obscured when I did see it.

    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
  • waltermoewaltermoe Member Posts: 2,360 ✭✭✭✭

    Just now read that there is a visible comet to see. Will go out tonight and try and see it, skies are forecast to be very clear tonight.
    80,000 year cycle, that’s a big loop.

  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,471 ✭✭✭✭

    WM, find Venus and Arcturus (big red star up and to the right of Venus a good bit.) Halfway between them and then up at a right angle to that line to find the comet. The full moon will not help, but you should be able to find it if you get away from city lights.

    Finally got a super clear night here. Got a final glimpse of it with binos, but it is now VERY faint. You have to know exactly what you're looking for, and where.

    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
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