155 replies to this topic

[MarkBC]

Here's a pic of PanSTARRS from Apache Point Observatory. The silhouette in the right foreground is the Sloan Digital Sky Survey telescope.

Photo credit: Richard Richins

Cool!

[ski3pin]

Cool!

yes, very cool!

[SunMan]

Cool indeed. We've been looking every night since Friday. no joy thus far. We'll be on it again tonight...I have faith.

[highz]

Well, it's time to give this thread a bump. There's a bright nova in the constellation Delphinus that should be easily visible to the naked eye from a dark site. Even in the city, you should be able to see it with binoculars. Here are the relevant charts and info:

 

Hope you wanderers get a chance to see it.

 

 

[highz]

Up to yesterday comet ISON has been something of a bust. However, reports are coming in that it is undergoing an outburst, and may reach naked-eye magnitude. It should be easy to spot in binoculars. The catch is it's a morning sky object, so you have to get up before dawn to see it. Should be perfect for the ski3pins.  

 

Here is the info:  Earthsky

[Lighthawk]

There's a new comet, Lovejoy on the rise. 

Saw this post on FB, by Jeff Sullivan.  He took the shot at Topaz Lk, NV

 

"This is the recently discovered Comet C/2013 R1 Lovejoy, captured approximately 3 am on November 14, 2013. Not yet visible to the naked eye without binoculars of a telescope, this comet doesn't reach the sun until Dec 22, so it still has 5 weeks to warm up and throw off a bigger tail of debris, and brighten considerably. It could be spectacular in late December, perhaps well into January!."

 

credit Jeff Sullivan Photography

Edited by Lighthawk, 15 November 2013 - 02:09 AM.

[MarkBC]

GEMINID METEOR SHOWER THIS WEEKEND!

 

I've read (somewhere) that the Geminid shower is typically the best of the year (not counting the 30-year extravaganza by the Leonids).  According to the December 13th note on the 2014 ONDA Wild Desert Calendar, up to 100 meteors/hour may be spotted if seeing conditions are good.

 

Saturday (tomorrow) night to Sunday morning (Dec 13-14, best after midnight on the 14th) is when it's happening.

Unfortunately, the Moon will interfere...but still could be worth catching before the Moon intrudes if cloud-conditions permit.

 

Check the link at the top of this post for details.

[Lighthawk]

Resuscitating the Lovejoy reports.   I was surprised HighZ or someone else hadn't given us a 'heads up!'.

 

I've been hearing the Lovejoy was in the solar neighborhood, but hadn't really followed up on it.  Yesterday was the peak at 4.3 magnitude, quite visible to the naked eye, especially for wanderers like us who shy away from city lights.

 

I just went out back with a pair of 8x42 bino's and spotted a suspect grey fuzzball, which was quite clear with the 'nocs.  Lovejoy is to the west of Orion and below the Pleiades (the Seven Sisters).   Good location info here

[ski3pin]

Thanks Lighthawk!

[highz]

Apologies for not giving a heads-up on comet Lovejoy, and thanks for your report, Lighthawk! It's been cloudy out my way, and I've only had a few brief glimpses of the comet through binocs. Once you find it with optical aid, it's easier to locate it with the naked eye. Here's another link to a finder chart for the rest of the month. http://www.skyandtel...ight-122920141/