Tonight/Tuesday Morning - Comet Lulin

Wahoos4Life · #1 (**permalink**) 02-23-2009, 05:44 PM

NASA - Green Comet Approaches Earth

Feb. 24th: Closest approach! On this special morning, Lulin will lie just a few degrees from Saturn in the constellation Leo. Saturn is obvious to the unaided eye, and Lulin could be as well. If this doesn't draw you out of bed, nothing will. [sky map]

Ye notes that Comet Lulin is remarkable not only for its rare beauty, but also for its rare manner of discovery. "This is a 'comet of collaboration' between Taiwanese and Chinese astronomers," he says. "The discovery could not have been made without a contribution from both sides of the Strait that separates our countries. Chi Sheng Lin and other members of the Lulin Observatory staff enabled me to get the images I wanted, while I analyzed the data and found the comet."

Somewhere this month, Ye imagines, another youngster will bend over an eyepiece, see Comet Lulin, and feel the same thrill he did gazing at Comet Hale-Bopp in 1996. And who knows where that might lead...?

"I hope that my experience might inspire other young people to pursue the same starry dreams as myself," says Ye.

joe_disco_electronics · #2 (**permalink**) 02-23-2009, 07:05 PM

Im picking this comet up on my scanner.

Wahoos4Life · #3 (**permalink**) 02-23-2009, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe_disco_electronics

Im picking this comet up on my scanner.

sweet, whats it saying to you?

poltergeisty · #4 (**permalink**) 02-23-2009, 08:07 PM

Made my own discovery.

http://www.radioreference.com/forums...ing-comet.html

Wasn't sure if it was. Guess so now.

Looks like no one gave a crap anyway.

bpckty1 · #5 (**permalink**) 02-23-2009, 08:19 PM

What part of the sky is it in, for those of us who are astronomylexic?

poltergeisty · #6 (**permalink**) 02-23-2009, 08:31 PM

It was toward the west here last Thursday. Look at the link I proved. There are some charts.
If you live in a urban setting with lots of light pollution, or for that matter smog, you proabbly won't see it.

EDIT- South - South-West. Mag. 6.1. Will progressively get brighter by the looks of it. Only some 38 Million miles away.

poltergeisty · #7 (**permalink**) 02-23-2009, 08:40 PM

Just looked outside! I can see her pierce through the mist of clouds.

I live near the foothills so it's relatively dark here.

bpckty1 · #8 (**permalink**) 02-23-2009, 08:42 PM

For we astronomy impaired, using the bright object in the west, which I presume to be Venus, which direction should we look?

poltergeisty · #9 (**permalink**) 02-23-2009, 09:01 PM

JPL Small-Body Database Browser

That bright object isn't Venus. I believe that to be it.

Check it out with binoculars.

Saturn is behind it and I don't think that bright object is Saturn. That's too far away to be that bright.

Edit- That is Venus!

http://www.skymaps.com/skymaps/tesmn0902.pdf

Skymaps.com - Publication Quality Sky Maps & Star Charts

So what I saw was indeed Venus.

I don't recall seeing it that bright before.

Reading the link at NASA and seeing the star chart, it is coming from the East.

bpckty1 · #10 (**permalink**) 02-23-2009, 09:23 PM

That's what I thought, since it was bright white and not greenish as advertised. So, the quest begins anew for a greenish object that appears to be going in reverse towards the sun...

;^>

poltergeisty · #11 (**permalink**) 02-23-2009, 09:32 PM

Yeah, seen on Thursday looking out the window and saw this bright thing and to me was a little brighter than what I'm used to seeing. From that direction I know the STAR -Stranded Terminal Arrival Route- for DIA has a waypoint right near the house so thought it was a plane normally for Seattle and such.

Then noticed it wasn't moving. So did some investigating and found out about this comet. Well, thought that was it.

I wasn't for sure though because of the description being green.

It appears to be moving East to West and you have to catch it early in the morning from the east.

bpckty1 · #12 (**permalink**) 02-23-2009, 09:52 PM

So, it doesn't show up at a decent time. Ratz.

Wahoos4Life · #13 (**permalink**) 02-23-2009, 11:15 PM

I havent ben able to spot it with just my eye or binocs yet. I probably go out again around midnight

Right before dawn, Saturn well be high in the southeastern sky, making the comet easier to find, the commet should be under Saturn. Im not flooded by City lights out in the county, but some of my neighbors still have there outside lights on, making it a challange for me

Saturn rises in the east I believe, so start looking there, and track across the skies untill you find the green Appearing to be going backwards comet

kb2vxa · #14 (**permalink**) 02-24-2009, 01:57 AM

Leave it to Joe Disco, he picks up a comet on his scanner while normal people hook their scanners to a Comet. Joe, maybe you're too young to remember Uncle Charlie, he heard satellites relaying propaganda from China on his CB. (Probably channel 23 but I don't care to speculate.)