Comet-c2022-e3-ztf

[olbriar]

Okay, I'll admit to being a bit out there when it comes to being fascinated by viewing the night skies. I even invested in a top of the line amateur telescope and spent countless nights with my children observing the heavens. We rarely missed a night viewing the heavier meteor showers. Once they were grown and away from home, we all met in Nebraska to be in the umbra of the last total solar eclipse and vowed to travel again for the next. We be sky junkies so forgive me for sharing the link below. A comet, the name is the title of this thread, is making its round in our visible sky though this month. It will be difficult to see with the naked eye. It will take a clean dark sky and perhaps binoculars to see. It may seem silly to even try to see it but it will cost nothing but time. Time.... it was 50,000 years ago when it last passed our way. I'm hoping for clear sky Saturday the 21st which will be a new moon (no moon) and will go to my cabin away from the city lights to better my chances of a sighting.
https://www.space.com/comet-c2022-e3-ztf-visible-naked-eye-january-2023

 

[Brian706]

I just read a little bit ago that it's supposed to be closest to the sun on (I think) Jan 12 and closest to the earth on Feb 1.

 

[olbriar]

I believe the 12th is correct. Being as a comet is a mass of frozen gas and particles, it will heat up the closer it gets to our sun. The melting effect will make the comet tail longer making it more visible. As it approaches earth it will still be in an excited state. The darker the sky will produce better chances of seeing it. That's why I will seriously search when there is no moon light or small crescent of the waning or waxing.

 

[The_Chief]

Of course it will be in an excited state - all the aliens get excited when they're coming to visit the greatest freak show in the universe!



Thanks for the heads up, @olbriar - I remember we went to the very center of Bahrain while I was stationed there, as far into the desert as possible to escape the light pollution, to observe Halley's Comet during its last visit of my life. I'll definitely keep an eye out for this one!

 

[ocnbrze]

I wonder if the Griffith Observatory here in LA will having some sort of event for it.

 

[olbriar]

I wonder if the Griffith Observatory here in LA will having some sort of event for it.

I would guess they will have something to offer. There is a small observatory that has old tech and optics half close to me that I will have to check out. I've stood in line there a number of times to see this or that before investing myself. They have an area dedicated to the amateur observers to set up and they are always quick to share their knowledge and a look through their equipment. If your local observatory has something to offer the public, they will likely have something online announcing it. Good luck.

 

[olbriar]

It is times like this that I long for my telescope. I have the ideal place to setup now at my cabin. Though relatively close, the location enjoys some of the darkest sky near me. Light pollution is a real deal killer if you live anywhere near a large city.

 

[AugieTN]

Just saw another article on the comet:

https://www.livescience.com/stone-age-comet-c-2022-e3-watch

 

[Bearsyzf]

They say the Comet is about the size of a Bus.

 

[olbriar]

I cancelled my trip to the cabin last weekend because the sky was overcast. It looks like I'm in for the same crummy sky this coming weekend. That's often the way of astronomy in my area. The last total solar eclipse that was within a state's distance from me proved to be blemished by a cloudy sky. Fortunately, from my viewing location in the umbra path in Southern Nebraska, the clouds cleared over head just prior to the totality passing over and returned to cloudy just after the eclipse passed. I had planned to be in the umbra for over fifty years and was not disappointed but got lucky with the patchy clouds opening at the exact time I needed.

 

[The_Chief]

I'm in the same situation. We were all ready to head out to open country, away from light pollution, to look at this little green blob. Rain, overcast, and no clear night skies into next week. Maybe next wayward comet will be easier to spot.