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Posted By: RockyRaab This Week's Comet viewing - 03/10/13
The comet Pan-Starrs will be visible in the US for the next few days, about 30 minutes after sunset. You may need binos to see it, and the viewing window is short each night: too soon and the sky is too bright, too late and the comet is too low. Best view will be on the 13th (Weds) if your local sky is clear. Look due west, about a hand's width above the horizon, 30 minutes after sunset. Here's a graphic:

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Oh, don't worry if you miss it. Just catch it the next time around - in 100 million years.
Been hoping to get a look at it, but the cloud cover has other plans. Maybe this week we'll get a clear afternoon sky so I can get a look at the comet.
Too many mountains west of me to see that low in the sky...
Posted By: shreck Re: This Week's Comet viewing - 03/11/13
I spent thirty mikes in the back yard with the telescope, the ONLY clouds in the sky hung on the western horizon. I did see Jupiter, I think, gotta be.
We have to much crap in the air in Cali. to see anything.
I think it would be pretty cool to see it though
Posted By: shreck Re: This Week's Comet viewing - 03/11/13
Just too shallow for me, I figured it would be but like the old joke about the drunk looking for his keys, the lights better over here.
I am fairly certain that I was able to catch this one about &:10 this evening. I had the location correct, and was using a fairly decent pair of 8X42 binos.
I'll try again tomorrow. We have not had many clear evenings here, but tonight is exceptionally clear.
The last few days have been clouded out and I forgot to look tonight. I have a perfect view of the western sky and if I can see the moon over the mountains ... smile
Posted By: eyeball Re: This Week's Comet viewing - 03/12/13
Darn. I forgot it tonight.
I'm using Rocky's graphic as screen saver.

So, don't feel bad, I forgot to pay attention to the screen saver and missed the time slot tonight too, frown.

Supposed to snow tomorrow night, so will probably have cloud cover of some kind then.
Posted By: eyeball Re: This Week's Comet viewing - 03/12/13
Yea, it was clear here tonight.
Reminder that it's ending soon. I still haven't seen the darn thing. Tried every night, but always clouds. Last night, there was one -- ONE -- band of clouds in the sky. Right where the comet was.

Damn.
It's really nice here today but it's cloudy to the west. frown
FINALLY! A super-clear night, and I managed to spot it an hour after sunset. Quite dim now, but the tail was still distinctive. Amazing. Got to watch it for about six minutes before it dropped down into the haze and became too dim to see any more.

If you missed it, you really missed it. It's a long-term comet that might not be back for 100 million years.
The only comet I've been able to see is in a tall green tube by the sink!
Posted By: Scott F Re: This Week's Comet viewing - 03/20/13
Mountains start at the end of my driveway and that is West of us. Hard winds and pouring rain. Think I will just have to go on living without seeing it.
Peaks peak is too tall and due west.
The mountain at the end of my driveway is to the east; we don't get "sunrise" until 90 minutes after dawn.

Overcast and raining all day today and likely for the next few more. Last night was REALLY my last shot at seeing this comet.

The news is that there will be another comet this fall, and it might be big enough and bright enough to be seen in DAYLIGHT. That'll be an amazing sight, for sure.
Originally Posted by FlyboyFlem
The only comet I've been able to see is in a tall green tube by the sink!

I used to have a blue one in the driveway!
Sky to the west may be too bright here.

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