Where’s Comet Lulin, Now, Again?
Many cloudy nights have troubled my visage since last I espied Comet Lulin. Yet last night and this morning were clear. Out I went.
Boo hoo hoo. I have some sad news. My plastic Pespi average amateur astronomy furniture is no more. It is deceased. It got squashed. More on this sad passing some other time. For now, the grief is too, too near.
Anyway, out I went. I have some replacement plastic average, amateur astronomy furniture. More on that later maybe too. Dang it!
Though clear enough, the sky was not especially average amateur astronomer worthy. M65 and M66 were barely visible. Even M105 was hardly visible. The Leo galaxies are up earliest so they are good for testing seeing. I was forewarned.
Yes. I have just about exhausted visible Messier objects at this location. Here are the ones I am not likely to see from the Cow Barn, ever, barring a power outage on a clear night. These are all galaxies.
M74 in Hydra
M88, M91, M98, M100 in Coma Berenices
M90 in Virgo
M101, M108, M109 in Ursa Major
M110 in Andromeda
This morning, the longest featured invisible galaxy is M108. M108 is totally invisible. But what makes M108 more aggravating than the rest of them is its close proximity to M97, the Owl Nebula. The Owl Nebula is also, totally invisible. Totally invisible until I screw on a trusty filter. Then, the Owl Nebula is easily visible. But M108 is even more invisible than it was in the first place.
Comet Lulin, on the other hand, is plenty easy to espy. However, so far, despite lots of anticipation, Comet Lulin appears about like it did last month. Comet Lulin has changed location but not appearance. Hmm. That’s just the opposite of Crumby. Crumby stays put but changes his appearance. This location versus appearance business may be an important distinguishing characteristic between comets and Druid ovates.
This morning, Comet Lulin is very close, within two degrees of Porrima, Gamma Virgo. The next, slightly more interesting location of Comet Lulin shall be on the 24 February of the Julian when Comet Lulin shall be close to Saturn in Leo. Clear skies for that!
Boo hoo hoo. I have some sad news. My plastic Pespi average amateur astronomy furniture is no more. It is deceased. It got squashed. More on this sad passing some other time. For now, the grief is too, too near.
Anyway, out I went. I have some replacement plastic average, amateur astronomy furniture. More on that later maybe too. Dang it!
Though clear enough, the sky was not especially average amateur astronomer worthy. M65 and M66 were barely visible. Even M105 was hardly visible. The Leo galaxies are up earliest so they are good for testing seeing. I was forewarned.
Yes. I have just about exhausted visible Messier objects at this location. Here are the ones I am not likely to see from the Cow Barn, ever, barring a power outage on a clear night. These are all galaxies.
M74 in Hydra
M88, M91, M98, M100 in Coma Berenices
M90 in Virgo
M101, M108, M109 in Ursa Major
M110 in Andromeda
This morning, the longest featured invisible galaxy is M108. M108 is totally invisible. But what makes M108 more aggravating than the rest of them is its close proximity to M97, the Owl Nebula. The Owl Nebula is also, totally invisible. Totally invisible until I screw on a trusty filter. Then, the Owl Nebula is easily visible. But M108 is even more invisible than it was in the first place.
Comet Lulin, on the other hand, is plenty easy to espy. However, so far, despite lots of anticipation, Comet Lulin appears about like it did last month. Comet Lulin has changed location but not appearance. Hmm. That’s just the opposite of Crumby. Crumby stays put but changes his appearance. This location versus appearance business may be an important distinguishing characteristic between comets and Druid ovates.
This morning, Comet Lulin is very close, within two degrees of Porrima, Gamma Virgo. The next, slightly more interesting location of Comet Lulin shall be on the 24 February of the Julian when Comet Lulin shall be close to Saturn in Leo. Clear skies for that!
posted by ray pistrum at Thursday, February 19, 2009
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