by Anura Guruge
on October 18, 2024
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Pretty amazing what you can do these days with a ‘Pixel 8 Pro‘. These were ALL handheld — using ‘Night Sight‘. I still have two cameras, a ‘Fuji‘ & ‘Nikon‘, & they can’t eve come close to matching this. No wonder I don’t even bother to use them.
Amazing. Just amazing. I am in awe of my phone. Just wish I knew how to use it properly. SMILE. AI confounds I.
by Anura Guruge
on October 18, 2024
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This was LAST NIGHT (Thursday) not to be confused with the pictures I took on Wednesday night. Yes, they are more or less identical. Yes, it was from the exact same spot.
The comet had moved — a bit more to the north, and was slightly higher up.
It wasn’t as bright as it had been the night before. Not sure why. But, I enjoyed seeing it. Always an honor. SMILE.
by Anura Guruge
on October 17, 2024
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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.