by Anura Guruge
on October 17, 2024
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This is what it was two weeks ago.
So there has been quite a bit of progress — mainly yesterday. Not done by a long chalk yet. More to come. Stay tuned.
by Anura Guruge
on October 17, 2024
Click images to ENLARGE.
Wow! That was special. I had been waiting for this one. I am not a morning-person, so I wasn’t going to even try to see it ‘last week’ when it was only visible in the morning sky. I was going to wait until it became visible at night.
I went out last night. WOW. That it shines in the WEST was a bonus. I could see it across a lake (& I am not going to say which one because I don’t want company (SMILE)).
The outstanding ‘Stellarium’ APP told me exactly where to look. That was a HUGE help.
That we had a near FULL MOON did NOT HELP. The moon was bright.
After I let my eyes adjust, I could see it — albeit JUST — naked eye. So, yes, it is naked eye, but barely. Yes, younger eyes will see it better. But, it is naked eye. NOT as spectacular as 2020s ‘Neowise‘, but still a naked eye comet.
Seeing a comet is always a PRIVILEGE, a joy. I was chuffed. A total solar eclipse and a naked eye comet. WOW. Quite the year.
So, with NEOWISE, this is the FIFTH comet I have seen so far. FIVE. Not great, but I am cool with that.
I was lucky enough to see the AMAZING ‘Hale-Bopp’ (i.e., C/1995 O1) — for months (over our garage) — in 1997. Then, I have seen two others, one (viz., C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS)) through binoculars in 2013, & the other (viz. C/1973 E1 (Kohoutek)) when I was in College. NEOWISE in 2020. Now this. WOW.
