Re: Comet Lulin

Anybody else spot the comet tonight?

Hmmm, 8600' with clear skies. Where could that be?

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Old Dude

I live under the polluted skies of Truckee Meadows. Sorry. I didn't even bother to try, here in Sparks I'm lucky to see maybe 10 stars from my apartment balcony.

I went out last night about 10:30 EST with a tiny pair of 8 x24mm binoculars under light polluted Raleigh skies. This was just a quickie look but I soon realized even at 8x the binoculars require steadying by holding them against something that does not move. Saturn was plainly visible and a bit to the right and below was another object that looked fuzzy with a bright core to it, presumably Lulin. At first I was not sure whether I was seeing Lulin or one of two other stars of similar magnitude in the area, 77 Sigma or 63 Chi. The terrible seeing conditions here are very limiting. Eventally I figured out that no star would be accompanied by the fuzziness I was seeing so that definitely was Lulin.

Use of a telescope or binoculars on a mount is required to observe this object in any meaningful detail IMHO.

Jim

>Hmmm, 8600' with clear skies. Where could that be?

Huh? TM?

You get snow-cat'd up to Tioga Pass then ski in?