Posted by: Athena Community Astronomy Club
So… arose again at 03h30, tested the sky, which looked reasonable even among city lights, and headed out to Mount Albion. Found an unlit roadway… interesting that there is as much traffic on a tertiary road at that hour of a Saturday morning… and commenced looking for Comet C/2022 E3, this time having looked up some depictions of where it is at the moment. Good sky, 15×70 binoculars, and almost naked eyes (I wear glasses), but no fortune cast its shadow… or, perhaps, cast too much shadow; I felt like I was back in 1986 looking for Comet Halley, even more disappointed since I have been part of amateur astronomy guidance and participation for 30+ years.
Cutting my losses this time, I returned to my abode and rechecked location info. Directed to Stellarium, which I am familiar with but don’t have on current device – used available scene on product site -, the comet is indicated about halfway between Ursa Major and Ursa Minor… a bit different than what I had previously been advised, but enough to interfere with my search… apparently.
Oh, well, peak brightness is “supposed” to be on 01 February, and I still have a few days to hope for further clear sky and a chance to be in the thoughts of anyone around in 50,000 years, or so, if the being is able to think of it and if the comet follows projected trajectory, as one who saw the comet 50,000 yeas ago… possibly like a Neanderthal being might have done before our time.
ACAC
Community amateur astronomy education, promotion, and observation.