Comet ISON visible to the naked eye: “if you want to see it, do it now”

[NRaleighLiberal]

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/world-our-backyard/2013/nov/16/comet-ison-visible-naked-eye-if-you-want-see-it-do/

WASHINGTON, November 16, 2013—Comet ISON, also known as the “Comet of the Century”, unexpectedly brightened Wednesday on its approach to the sun. According to researchers at NASA’s Comet ISON Observation Campaign (CIOC), the comet is now visible to the naked eye. How long it will be visible for, however, is unknown.

Charging through our inner solar system, ISON will reach its perihelion, the point at which a comet comes closest to the sun, on Thanksgiving Day (November 28). At perihelion, ISON will come within 730,000 miles of the sun’s surface.

Forecasters have had a difficult time predicting just how bright ISON will be in the past few months. However, the comet has recently become many times brighter, increasing 16 times in brightness in just 72 hours, according to Space.com.

“ISON has dramatically brightened over the past few days. My own observations from this morning in 10x50 and 30x125 binoculars show a nice ‘lollipop’ comet with a very condensed blue-green head and a long narrow tail,” Carl Hergenrother, acting co-coordinator of the comet section of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers, said to Space.com on Thursday. “The comet may continue to brighten as the outburst is still in its early stages. Whether this outburst will be a short-lived event or the beginning of a more active phase is still to be seen.”

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It is a morning object at the moment....if it survives its close encounter with the sun, it will become a night time object, and potentially very bright. Big if, though!

So, all you early risers with a clear sky (and ability to see to the eastern horizon)...the time is now (well, not RIGHT now - it is just after lunch time EST - but you know what I mean!)

[jakeXT]

1. $4000-$5000 for that 30 x 125 one, I only own a 10 x 60

http://www.vixenoptics.com/binoculars/bt125.html

[idwiyo]

2. k&r

[In_The_Wind]

3. I should have looked this morning.

[Paulie]

4. Can you clear up this cloud cover in Chicagoland? KThxBai

[NRaleighLiberal]

5. no worries - it will be visible for a week or so in the AM - if it survives the sun approach

will be a night sky object even brighter! check the maps in the link

[HarveyDarkey]

6. Just saw it this evening, the clouds finally cleared here

Very bright with a highly discernible tail.