Who's Going Comet Viewing?

[Elspode]

Tonight is Comet Lulin's closest approach to Earth. It is easy to find, just a few fingers width below and slightly to the right of Saturn. It will rise high enough to afford a decent view under dark skies at about 10:00 PM local time wherever you are, and will be optimally placed about 1:00 AM as it rises to its highest point.

Binoculars should provide a good view under sufficiently dark skies. A telescope of any size would be better. At magnitude 5.5 or thereabouts, it is by no means a jaw-dropper, and if you have light pollution or excess moisture in the air, you're gonna be disappointed.

I attempted to observe last night about 11:00 CST, but from my back yard, the water vapor laden air was extremely light polluted, and I could barely - and I do mean *barely* make out a fuzzy patch using 10 x 50 binoculars.

TF and I might consider heading out of town a short distance to try it again tonight, but we are going to be fraught with thin clouds and thus a great deal of water vapor, so it might not be much of an improvement.

Those who can't see it with their own eyes can check in at http://www.ccssc.org/observatory/dar...rksky_cam.html for an all night webcast of the comet through a professional 'scope beginning at 11:00 PM EST.

Hope you all get to see it!