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Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Phantom ()
Date: March 08, 2013 04:14PM

For the next week or so, there is a comet that will be visible around sunset. What place around here has the best unobstructed view of the western horizon?

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroidwatch/newsfeatures.cfm?release=2013-088

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Olde Farte, II ()
Date: March 08, 2013 04:20PM


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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Phantom ()
Date: March 09, 2013 12:30AM

I was hoping to find a high spot like a hill or a building with an accessable balcony.

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Max Volume ()
Date: March 09, 2013 06:14AM

Come on. It's not height that matters. You think a high building or hill makes a difference in the distance between you and the comet? Get real. It's the amount of surrounding light that is the problem. If you are near any tall building you are in the wrong place. Go out to skymeadow park or somewhere farther out of a populated area. The less ambient light, the better the view.

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Olde Farte, II ()
Date: March 09, 2013 07:52AM

This comet is pretty low on the horizon so try to be above the tree line looking "downward" - last night was clear but I saw nothing, however a couple hundred meters from my viewing location the tree line did a great job of hiding the horizon.,..and anything near it.

The 12th is supposed to be good, too.

And sometime in a few months or so (a year?) there'll apparently be a comet that is on target to either hit or scrape by the Sun that'll possibly be visible during the day (!).

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Phantom ()
Date: March 09, 2013 10:29AM

Supposedly the comet is close enough to the sun that it's reflecting enough light so that the only light pollution source you really need to get rid of to see it is the sun.

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Olde Farte, II ()
Date: March 09, 2013 10:35AM


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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Phantom ()
Date: March 09, 2013 11:45AM

Looks like it might be too close to the sun to get a good view in this area this weekend

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: dirty mind? ()
Date: March 09, 2013 11:48AM

For some reason I keep reading this as PORNSTARS

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Phantom ()
Date: March 09, 2013 12:31PM

It does have a pretty sweet tail...

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: high as the sky ()
Date: March 09, 2013 10:33PM

where in the burk\springfield area would be a good place to check it out tomarow or threw out the week. thanks

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: MLK republican ()
Date: March 10, 2013 08:33AM

hail-bop and hyakutake were visible in the nineties to the point where they were boring. Wait for the big one, it's coming.

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Phantom ()
Date: March 12, 2013 10:28AM

I hope it clears up this afternoon.

I read that this comet is supposed to be at the brightest about a 2 magnitude (about as bright as the north star), but in November comet ISON will be a magnitude -5 or so, which will make it visible during the day.

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Olde Farte, II ()
Date: March 12, 2013 06:54PM

Phantom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I hope it clears up this afternoon.

Right now it's looking really good - the Sun is amazingly blinding at this moment - very clear to the west.

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Olde Farte, II ()
Date: March 12, 2013 07:44PM

At this moment the (very thin) crescent moon is clearly visible.


Soon the comet to its left?

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Olde Farte, II ()
Date: March 12, 2013 08:13PM

Olde Farte, II Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> At this moment the (very thin) crescent moon is
> clearly visible.
>
> Soon the comet to its left?

Alas, no.

Though the moon was clearly visible until it "set" from my POV, I think my POV had too HIGH a horizon due to terrain so it didn't get dark enough to see the comet.

Ah well, next time!

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Kub ()
Date: March 12, 2013 08:23PM

I couldn't find it although I have a pretty good, clear view of the western sky from my office. I was just using the naked eye though, I'll bring in some binoculars tomorrow.

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Ray Charles ()
Date: March 12, 2013 08:24PM

Ray_Can_t_See_Shit.jpg

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Phantom ()
Date: March 13, 2013 11:19AM

I can't see it either, my house is surrounded by too many trees.

I wonder if one of the parking garages at the Reston Town Center would work.

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Comet it makes your mouth turn g ()
Date: March 13, 2013 12:28PM

I saw it last night from the Reston Parkway bridge over the Toll Road. Not visible to the naked eye, but in 15x70 binocs it was very easy to spot.

Keep an eye on the pictures posted by Europeans on Spaceweather.com (it's down right now so I can't post a link). That should allow you to judge its position relative to the Moon.

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: IMHO ()
Date: March 13, 2013 12:53PM

I would think space......

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Olde Farte, II ()
Date: March 13, 2013 07:34PM

According to that graphic up above, the next "viewing" should be about 20 minutes away AND the sky is semi-clear in the appropriate direction AND the comet, though maybe even fainter, will be higher in the sly.

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: Olde Farte, II ()
Date: March 14, 2013 07:04PM

Well, tonight is strangely Yet Another Gorgeously Clear Evening (*) so the viewing, for those with unfogged eyes, should be good for The Comet.

Tonight I might haul out my amazingly poor Vivitar (**) binoculars and see if I can see anything with those - certainly haven't seen anything but the moon with my eyes.

Third time's the charm and all that...

--------

(*) Old Pilot Mantra - turbulence is clear, calm is hazy - it's been way windy today.

(**) The actual source of these amazingly poor binoculars marked "Vivitar" is suspect - a gift from a bro-in-law who literally bought them out of someone's truck, there is NO merging of the two images unless one literally twists-almost-to-the-breaking-point the two lens barrels. I've had Vivitar lenses for decades for an old 35mm film camera and they are quality (relatively speaking).

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: too funny ()
Date: March 14, 2013 07:11PM

I agree with Ray, I can't see shit.

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Re: Where is the best place to view Comet Panstarrs?
Posted by: mjM7u ()
Date: December 03, 2016 02:44PM

Phantom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For the next week or so, there is a comet that
> will be visible around sunset. What place around
> here has the best unobstructed view of the western
> horizon?

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