A final Look at Comet Neowise ?

 

After an afternoon of anticipation, I loaded the car with my refractor, the eyepieces, the camera and tripod along with a couple other essentials and headed up to the Wagman Observatory in Deer Lakes Park. I picked up a chicken salad on the way for my dinner. Arriving at 8, I was the first one there. 

Arriving early gave me time to find a geocache that was hidden near the observatory. Once I had found that, I started setting up.  While I was putting things together a young couple came up the hill and strolled around. They came over and asked where the comet was going to be.  My “new friends”, Lynn and Nathan hadn’t brought anything with them, no binoculars, just a blanket. They were just hoping to see Comet Neowise before it disappeared from view.

After getting things aligned and focused, I showed them the first quarter moon. Asking them to be careful not to touch anything, they carefully gazed into the wide field eyepiece. (Masks were worn all night.) Both were duly impressed. A short while later I showed them Saturn and Jupiter. By now the sky was getting darker and we could start seeing the stars of the Big Dipper. Binoculars came out and people started scanning the sky.  By now there were about 20 people on the hill. Tom Reiland had arrived and set up in the observatory. Due to the Covid 19 problems, there is only one person per room allowed in the observatory. This meant no visitors, only one observer per scope.

Tom, having watched the comet almost daily, saw it first. I managed to locate it in soon after. I was trying to find landmarks so I could return to it easily when I heard Arlan. She and Patrick had returned to take another look at this visitor from outer space

Comet Neowise (7.25.20) 10:18PM  125mm  f5.6   5 secs.

I wasn’t able to locate the comet by eye but after seeing it a couple times using binoculars, I was able to return to it after looking away. It was almost directly under Alkaid, the first star in the handle of the dipper.  Dropping down I came to two stars in line with my decent and the comet was just to the right of the pair. By the time darkness settled in there were about 30 people on the hilltop. There were a lot of cameras with large lens and a couple people had brought their “department store” telescopes with them.

Patrick set up his camera to get a few shots. I took a couple shots also but wasn’t pleased since the brightness of the comet had dropped and the tail wasn’t as obvious as it was last Saturday. (7.18.20) Clouds and haze were slowly working their way into the section of sky the comet was located in.  A little after 11 the crowd thinned out. It got quieter and even though clouds were moving across the sky it was still a very pleasant evening. The temperatures were very comfortable and it was nice to just stand around and BS for awhile. Talking to friends while craning our necks to see anything that nature decided to show us is a common Wagman stance. While we talked a shooting star or two were granted to our waiting eyes along with an ISS pass. Saturn and Jupiter were soon covered over. I BS’d for awhile with Tom and John, two members I’ve known since I joined the AAAP and then I loaded my car and headed for home.

Back in Shaler, I could see the Big Dipper but I didn’t bother trying to see the comet. Most of the stars visible at Wagman were gone, hidden by the lights scattered all around my hometown. I had seen Comet Neowise once more and I seriously doubt if I’ll see it again. Pittsburgh weather is looking rather iffy for the next few days.  I spent an evening with friends gazing at the skies above us. I spent some time exploring the terminator of the moon and also took a look at Jupiter, Saturn and the Andromeda Galaxy and shared them with friends in the process. All in all, another great night!

Sunday night, 7.25.20, 11PM.  I saw it one more time from my neighborhood. While walking the dog, balancing against a stop sign. It was a faint blob, no tail that I could see but then again, I had a neighbors porch light shining on me. I couldn't relocate it from the house. I'm afraid it is gone to me...

A COUPLE FACTS: In case you were wondering, the comet got its name from the telescope which discovered it. NEOWISE- Near Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. It was discovered on March 27^th 2020.The nucleus of the comet is approximately 3 miles across and at its closest point, (7.23.20) it was about 64 million miles away from us. It is now heading away from us but don’t worry, it will be back in about 6800 years. MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

The Comet Chase Continues

7.18.20

                After a wonderful night at Wagman Observatory last night, I decided to stay home tonight. It was a great night at Deer Lakes. I saw a lot of friends I hadn’t seen in awhile and made a couple new ones while I was there.

                The comet was visible by eye as were thousands of stars that can’t be seen from my light polluted back yard. I took lots of pictures and really enjoyed BS’ing with friends and other star gazers. We watched the International Space Station go overhead early in the evening and later as it passed off to the north of the observatory. A few shooting stars were seen also. Like I said, a great night

 



Shot from Wagman, 7.17.20  140mm  f7.1 @ 5sc. (7.17.20 10:04PM)

                Today was extremely hot and we basically hung out in the house, hardly moving unless necessary. After the sky darkened, I walked down my street and saw the comet with binoculars. I could see how it had moved. The two stars it is above tonight were the ones we used as pointer stars last night. Yesterday it was below and to the right of the pair.

                Instead of going up on a hill, I decided to go low tonight. I drove into the valley by my house and set the camera on the pitcher’s mound in the field at Lower Glenshaw Church. This gave me some foreground for my shots. I only stayed for about 10-15 minutes and then returned home. Gotta get up early tomorrow, it’s Sunday!

Shot at Lower Glenshaw ball field, 160mm  f7.1  5 sc. (7.18.20 10:11PM)

 

                Naturally, I’m looking forward to the next viewing of the comet. It is interesting watching it move through the sky! I hope you’re watching its passage also!

(note: by clicking on the pictures you can see a larger version)

My Search for Comet Neowise

 

                As I’m sure you know, there is a new comet in the skies, Comet Neowise. Here in the Pittsburgh area it isn’t quite as spectacular as it is in locations further away from cities, clouds and humidity. Still, this visitor from space is worth going out to see!

                I saw it first in the morning sky on July 9^th, around 5 o’clock. I was walking the dog with a pair of binoculars around my neck, checking the sky every few minutes. (Thank heavens no neighbors looked out their windows!)I knew it was to the left and below the bright planet Venus so I had an idea of where to look. The Pittsburgh skies provided a slight covering of clouds in the area I was looking towards. Finally, in-between two houses I saw it!  Try as I might I couldn’t see it by eye alone. Then, the clouds moved in again and it was gone.

                I went out a few more times as the days progressed, only to be greeted by clouds and more clouds. (There might have been a little rain mixed in there also) I did enjoy the time listening to the birds waking up. There is nothing like the fresh air, smells of flowers, birds chirping and the brightening sky in the early morning!

                The comet is visible in the evening skies now, under the Big Dipper, in the northwest. Since I work in the afternoon and evening, I miss these viewing hours. I’ve gone out a few times at work but our company is located in a valley and is covered with spotlights. Both are bad conditions for seeing something faint on the horizon!

                I had yesterday, Thursday the 16^th, off of work. We had some rain storms move through the area and ones predicted for the evening. I wasn’t expecting to be going out to search. When 9PM rolled around, I could see a couple patches of blue sky so I decided to take a drive.

                I found an open view towards the northwest along Middle Road, across the street from a house with all its outside lights lit. I pulled over and got out and started scanning the sky with my binoculars. No luck at all, there were big puffy clouds right where the comet should be. I waited and kept scanning. The Big Dipper slowly appeared and as I went back and forth, I found it! After looking at it for awhile, I got the tripod out of the car and set it up along with the camera. I couldn’t see the comet by eye so I had to take a few “trial” shots to locate it. That is the nice thing about digital cameras, you can see if your exposure or subject is correct. Once I located it, I took a bunch of pictures and then, feeling great, I headed back home.

 While I was taking pictures, I had to shield the camera from car headlights. The clouds were covering it up again as I left. I had been on the side of the road for about an hour. I kept expecting the police to show up. The pictures aren’t the greatest, but at least I got some. It wasn’t the best spot to observe from, but it did the trick!



                Now, I can’t wait to see what tonight will bring!