Science For those with clear skies tonight...Comet going by [Archive]

View Full Version : Science For those with clear skies tonight...Comet going by

mlyonsd

02-23-2009, 05:40 PM

Get ready for the night of the comet.

Comet Lulin, a strange, backward-traveling, greenish-hued ball of ice and gas, will make its closest approach to Earth on the evening of Monday, Feb. 23.

It'll still be 38 million miles away, but should be visible with the naked eye in dark locations, and with binoculars or a telescope in more lit-up locations.

Skygazers in North America should look to the west-southwest, where Lulin will be just a bit to the right of Saturn, between the constellations of Virgo and Leo.

This week will probably be humanity's only chance to see Lulin, which was discovered in 2007 by Chinese and Taiwanese astronomers. The comet appears to be on its way out of the solar system for good.
• Click here for a sky map showing where to look. (http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/images/greencomet/skymap_north_lulin_24feb09.gif)

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,498705,00.html

mlyonsd

02-23-2009, 05:41 PM

Unfortunately it's cloudy here tonight.

Third Eye

02-23-2009, 06:03 PM

Thanks. I might check this out tonight. Hale-bopp came around when I was 20 and bit more, shall we say, "experimental". My friends and I used to commune with it.

blueballs

02-23-2009, 06:07 PM

cover up

MIAdragon

02-23-2009, 06:10 PM

Cool thanks!

mlyonsd

02-23-2009, 06:13 PM

It's supposed to be green. I'm guessing any non-blinking green thing you see is a comet.

Bob Dole

02-23-2009, 06:41 PM

Thanks. I might check this out tonight. Hale-bopp came around when I was 20 and bit more, shall we say, "experimental". My friends and I used to commune with it.
This message was posted wearing Nike tennis shoes from beyond the grave.

FYP

Third Eye

02-23-2009, 06:55 PM

FYP

Haha, mushrooms, not phenobarbital.

Hog's Gone Fishin

02-23-2009, 08:55 PM

If you like this type of stuff you need to own one of these. I bought one last year. It brings total daylight to nightime. But when you look at the stars , especially during a half to full moon you will be amazed. You can see satellites and all kinds of stuff moving around. you'll see 5 times the number of stars vrs the naked eye. thy're pretty pricey but well worth the money.

http://www.shopwiki.com/search?q=ATN_PVS-7_Night_Vision_Goggles-3rd_Generation&sb=1

Simply Red

02-23-2009, 09:05 PM

can I see it in the 'dirty, dirty?'

Delano

02-23-2009, 09:13 PM

can I see it in the 'dirty, dirty?'

It's visible in the early hours of the AM.

The time when you are entering the bedroom with your niners (one in each arm) after a night of fine dining, rhythmic and stylish dancing, and casual dismissal of the haters.

Also, probably too much light pollution in a city of that size.

Simply Red

02-23-2009, 09:36 PM

Ultra Peanut

02-23-2009, 10:48 PM