Comments on: Look Up! http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/ Sat, 20 Mar 2010 19:22:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Last Chance For Some To See McNaught - Asymptotia http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/comment-page-1/#comment-24801 Last Chance For Some To See McNaught - Asymptotia Thu, 18 Jan 2007 01:27:04 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/#comment-24801 [...] So the new comet, McNaught, is now very much a naked-eye visible object. Apparently it is the brightest comet in the last 30 years or so. I learned* that (for those in the Northern Hemisphere) Wednesday evening might well be the last chance to see it before it becomes a Southern Hemisphere object. [Update: It seems that it’s still been visible these last few days. Maybe it will be tonight (Saturday).] [Update: See later post here.] [...] [...] So the new comet, McNaught, is now very much a naked-eye visible object. Apparently it is the brightest comet in the last 30 years or so. I learned* that (for those in the Northern Hemisphere) Wednesday evening might well be the last chance to see it before it becomes a Southern Hemisphere object. [Update: It seems that it’s still been visible these last few days. Maybe it will be tonight (Saturday).] [Update: See later post here.] [...]

]]> By: Clifford http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/comment-page-1/#comment-24738 Clifford Wed, 17 Jan 2007 05:28:26 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/#comment-24738 Hi, Perhaps I'm totally off base about this, but that sounds like very much the wrong time to see the comet. I'd say you saw another celestial body of some description. But it does sound quite lovely all the same...!!! Cheers, -cvj Hi,

Perhaps I’m totally off base about this, but that sounds like very much the wrong time to see the comet. I’d say you saw another celestial body of some description. But it does sound quite lovely all the same…!!!

Cheers,

-cvj

]]> By: Scott White http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/comment-page-1/#comment-24736 Scott White Wed, 17 Jan 2007 05:02:14 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/#comment-24736 Hello, I live in Elizabeth Lake California 93532 (just North of Los Angeles). This morning Jan 16th 2007 at 3:45 a.m. I was getting ready for a trip to Boston. I was placing my bag inside my truck and looked up to see the comet. Very bright and lighting up a large area of the sky around it. I had seen a quick mention on the news about it, but was surprised to actually see it. I am an absolute novice to this so I am not sure how to place the position in the sky, but I would have to say the comet looked just slightly west of where the sun set the night before, and just above the hills in front of my home (Grass Mountain). This morning it was very clear and cold outside. I did manage to get a pair of large binoculars and see it much closer, but I wish i had a telescope. I wanted to share this with anybody else in the area and hope they can catch it as well. Unfortunately I am in Boston until Thursday afternoon, but I hope it is still around Friday morning. By the time I left the house at 4:00 a.m. there was no trace of the comet, and I am not really sure how much earlier the thing was visible before I saw it at 3:45. I will bookmark this site to see if anyone else sees it in the early morning hours in Southern California, please respond if you do. Just a chance sighting has really sparked my interest in this. Really amazing. Thanks for the site and the chance to record what I saw. Scott Hello,
I live in Elizabeth Lake California 93532 (just North of Los Angeles). This morning Jan 16th 2007 at 3:45 a.m. I was getting ready for a trip to Boston. I was placing my bag inside my truck and looked up to see the comet. Very bright and lighting up a large area of the sky around it. I had seen a quick mention on the news about it, but was surprised to actually see it.
I am an absolute novice to this so I am not sure how to place the position in the sky, but I would have to say the comet looked just slightly west of where the sun set the night before, and just above the hills in front of my home (Grass Mountain). This morning it was very clear and cold outside.
I did manage to get a pair of large binoculars and see it much closer, but I wish i had a telescope.
I wanted to share this with anybody else in the area and hope they can catch it as well. Unfortunately I am in Boston until Thursday afternoon, but I hope it is still around Friday morning.
By the time I left the house at 4:00 a.m. there was no trace of the comet, and I am not really sure how much earlier the thing was visible before I saw it at 3:45.

I will bookmark this site to see if anyone else sees it in the early morning hours in Southern California, please respond if you do. Just a chance sighting has really sparked my interest in this. Really amazing.
Thanks for the site and the chance to record what I saw.
Scott

]]> By: Yvette http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/comment-page-1/#comment-24674 Yvette Tue, 16 Jan 2007 06:39:18 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/#comment-24674 Clouds suck. :( I'll be in the southern hemisphere a month from now though, so judging by what I hear it should still be good in binocs then at least. Clouds suck. :( I’ll be in the southern hemisphere a month from now though, so judging by what I hear it should still be good in binocs then at least.

]]> By: Wolverine http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/comment-page-1/#comment-24575 Wolverine Mon, 15 Jan 2007 01:57:47 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/#comment-24575 Well, I'm glad others are having better luck than myself. It's been persistently cloudy here all week with intermittent rain, and as of now we're under a winter storm warning. My observing efforts have been reduced to watching SOHO imagery. I suppose that's better than nothing. :) <em>*shakes his fist at the sky*</em> Well, I’m glad others are having better luck than myself. It’s been persistently cloudy here all week with intermittent rain, and as of now we’re under a winter storm warning. My observing efforts have been reduced to watching SOHO imagery. I suppose that’s better than nothing. :)

*shakes his fist at the sky*

]]> By: Plato http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/comment-page-1/#comment-24572 Plato Mon, 15 Jan 2007 01:04:40 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/#comment-24572 http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/hotshots/2007_01_08/C2006P1_C3_full.gif <blockquote>The left image shows the expected track of comet McNaught through SOHO's coronagraph LASCO C3, while the right panel shows the latest image. The comet has appeared in the field of view of C3 at around 02:00 UT (05:00 EDT) on January 12th. It has just passed its perihelion (around 19:00 UT on January 12th), and travels now almost vertically down, exiting C3's field of view in the lower left at roughly 03:00UT on January 16th.</blockquote> You can look at the comet against the "background of the sun" <a href="http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/hotshots/" rel="nofollow">here</a> http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/hotshots/2007_01_08/C2006P1_C3_full.gif

The left image shows the expected track of comet McNaught through SOHO’s coronagraph LASCO C3, while the right panel shows the latest image. The comet has appeared in the field of view of C3 at around 02:00 UT (05:00 EDT) on January 12th. It has just passed its perihelion (around 19:00 UT on January 12th), and travels now almost vertically down, exiting C3’s field of view in the lower left at roughly 03:00UT on January 16th.

You can look at the comet against the “background of the sun” here

]]> By: Plato http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/comment-page-1/#comment-24569 Plato Sun, 14 Jan 2007 23:58:23 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/#comment-24569 The clouds are heavy laden with snow now, so I don't think I'll get the chance again. :( AS to temperatures. When I step off the plane in Phoenix about two years ago it was a balmy 113 degrees F, so I understand how such temperatures could seem extreme to various parts of the Hemisphere and it's people. Walking the ruins of of the "<a href="http://www.nps.gov/moca/" rel="nofollow">cliff dwellers</a>" I wondered then, what such temperatures would have caused them, living the way they did. The clouds are heavy laden with snow now, so I don’t think I’ll get the chance again.
:(

AS to temperatures. When I step off the plane in Phoenix about two years ago it was a balmy 113 degrees F, so I understand how such temperatures could seem extreme to various parts of the Hemisphere and it’s people.

Walking the ruins of of the “cliff dwellers” I wondered then, what such temperatures would have caused them, living the way they did.

]]> By: Clifford http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/comment-page-1/#comment-24562 Clifford Sun, 14 Jan 2007 21:29:13 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/#comment-24562 Hmmmm, you're not the only person who mentioned to me recently that they merely "skimmed" a post of mine. <em>Skimmed!!</em> The cheek of it.... ;-) Cheers, -cvj Hmmmm, you’re not the only person who mentioned to me recently that they merely “skimmed” a post of mine. Skimmed!! The cheek of it…. ;-)

Cheers,

-cvj

]]> By: Amara http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/comment-page-1/#comment-24561 Amara Sun, 14 Jan 2007 20:57:59 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/#comment-24561 Oops, I skimmed your post too fast.. you suggested the brightness as a factor for the 'last chance' predictions too. It's late, long day, and I'm tired. sorry! Oops, I skimmed your post too fast.. you suggested the brightness as a factor for the ‘last chance’ predictions too. It’s late, long day, and I’m tired. sorry!

]]> By: Amara http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/comment-page-1/#comment-24560 Amara Sun, 14 Jan 2007 20:53:15 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/#comment-24560 Clifford: I think the 'last chance' that I kept reading might have been more to do with the comet's brightness. Noone expected that it would be so bright (and to be visible DURING DAYLIGHT !! ). Each time the brightness estimate was increased (now being in negative magnitudes). As for its location near sunset, the comet was higher than I expected when I located it for the first time too, so I'm not sure why people said (and me too, copying the reports) that it would be "too low". Maybe folks generally have higher obstructions at their skylines than what you or I have. At this point I suggest for everyone in the Northern Hemisphere to try to see it every day, until you hear on the net that the Southern Hemisphere folks are seeing the comet ... then you'll know it is near the end for your viewing. I read somewhere, don't remember where, that later next week the Southern Hemisphere people can begin to see it. Clifford: I think the ‘last chance’ that I kept reading might have been more to do with the comet’s brightness. Noone expected that it would be so bright (and to be visible DURING DAYLIGHT !! ). Each time the brightness estimate was increased (now being in negative magnitudes). As for its location near sunset, the comet was higher than I expected when I located it for the first time too, so I’m not sure why people said (and me too, copying the reports) that it would be “too low”. Maybe folks generally have higher obstructions at their skylines than what you or I have.

At this point I suggest for everyone in the Northern Hemisphere to try to see it every day, until you hear on the net that the Southern Hemisphere folks are seeing the comet … then you’ll know it is near the end for your viewing. I read somewhere, don’t remember where, that later next week the Southern Hemisphere people can begin to see it.

]]> By: Supernova http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/comment-page-1/#comment-24559 Supernova Sun, 14 Jan 2007 20:03:57 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/#comment-24559 The one passer-by who asked what I was looking at last night didn't seem impressed when I lent her my binoculars and told her where to look. This was right before the comet was about to set, so sure, it wasn't spectacular, but come on! Who doesn't get excited about fuzzy blobs in the sky? :D I tried finding it in daylight about an hour ago, with no luck. The sky is nice and clear here in the SF Bay Area, but chilly temperatures and high winds are making for a less-then-ideal observing experience. I did manage to find Venus, though, so I'll try again in a while for McNaught. The one passer-by who asked what I was looking at last night didn’t seem impressed when I lent her my binoculars and told her where to look. This was right before the comet was about to set, so sure, it wasn’t spectacular, but come on! Who doesn’t get excited about fuzzy blobs in the sky? :D

I tried finding it in daylight about an hour ago, with no luck. The sky is nice and clear here in the SF Bay Area, but chilly temperatures and high winds are making for a less-then-ideal observing experience. I did manage to find Venus, though, so I’ll try again in a while for McNaught.

]]> By: JoanH http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/comment-page-1/#comment-24558 JoanH Sun, 14 Jan 2007 19:56:50 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/#comment-24558 The SoCal newscast I saw spend a good three minutes featuring a garden in which the sprinkler system had been left on the previous night. Which obviously resulted in the garden being completely covered in ice. The amusing thing - other than the length of time devoted to the piece - was that the news anchor felt it necessary to explain to the doubtless incredulous viewers what icicles are. The SoCal newscast I saw spend a good three minutes featuring a garden in which the sprinkler system had been left on the previous night. Which obviously resulted in the garden being completely covered in ice. The amusing thing - other than the length of time devoted to the piece - was that the news anchor felt it necessary to explain to the doubtless incredulous viewers what icicles are.

]]> By: Anon http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/comment-page-1/#comment-24555 Anon Sun, 14 Jan 2007 18:15:19 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/01/14/look-up/#comment-24555 The weatherman on the local news was beside himself last night. Absolutlely beside himself. His jaw dropped (he told us) when he saw the predicted temperatures for the LA basin (35F for downtown LA) for last night. I am torn between my amusement that the local news spent over 20 minutes discussing this incredible freeze, and my worry because these temperatures really are a problem for people (citrus growers, homeless) here. The weatherman on the local news was beside himself last night. Absolutlely beside himself. His jaw dropped (he told us) when he saw the predicted temperatures for the LA basin (35F for downtown LA) for last night. I am torn between my amusement that the local news spent over 20 minutes discussing this incredible freeze, and my worry because these temperatures really are a problem for people (citrus growers, homeless) here.

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