Comet Hartley 2 Passing By Earth...See It While You Can

[IntoTheVoid]

Comet Hartley 2 is going to make its closest pass by Earth at 11 million miles on October 20, and a dark, moonless sky in mid October will help create perfect viewing conditions. Under the darkest skies it can be seen with the naked eye so with binoculars or even a small telescope you will be able to see it for sure...Unless it cloudy.

It will be visible through the month of October but will be the closest to earth on October 20th. So you can start looking now for the comet nightly.

Look to the East/Northeast night sky.

I think I'll drive up the gorge for the best view, away from the bright lights of Portland.

Enjoy! :bluejump:

 

[MikesToy]

At what time at night?

 

[IntoTheVoid]

At what time at night?

I copied the following from the attached link.

Steamboat Today: Jimmy Westlake: Here comes Comet Hartley 2

You’ll do best to catch it the first two weeks of October and then again the first week or so of November, during the dark of the moon.

To spot the comet, go outside in the early evening around 8:30 p.m. and face the northeastern sky. There, you should see the familiar “W”-shaped pattern of Cassiopeia’s Chair, formed by five bright stars. Comet Hartley 2 is making its way below the “W” night by night during the first week of October. Although it might sprout a short tail as it gets closer to the sun and Earth, for now the comet looks like a faint, fuzzy, green cloud, somewhat like a dandelion head. On the evening of Oct. 7, the little comet will skim right past the famous “Double Cluster” of stars between the constellations of Cassiopeia and Perseus. Binoculars should show the beautiful star clusters and Comet Hartley 2 together in the same field of view. You can bet I’ll have my telescope out snapping pictures that night!

 

[Maritimer]

Wow! I love this stuff. I'm taking my boys out with binoculars for sure. It doesn't get any better than this. In August my 5-year-old saw his first shooting star during the meteor shower, and now we get to see a comet! A bit easier to spot than a shooting star, LOL. Thanks for sharing. The news kind of missed this one.

 

[IntoTheVoid]

Just got back from viewing comet Hartley 2

Drove up to Crown Point where it is dark. You can't see it with the naked eye but if you have a pair of binoculars you can see it pretty good.

If you want to see it, just look at the directions above and remember the constellations such as Cassiopeia, your guide point, starts off low on the eastern horizon right after sunset and moves west through out the night. So at 9:30-10:30 I was looking almost straight up over head.

Look for a fuzzy/cotton ball star. You will know it when you see it. It only took me few minutes to find it and get a fix on it.

I can now say that I have viewed 4 comets so far in my life.

Enjoy! :hello: