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Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Comet Lovejoy Over a Windmill
NASA ^ | December 09, 2013 | (see photo credit)

Posted on 12/09/2013 5:28:01 PM PST by SunkenCiv

Explanation: Lovejoy continues to be an impressive camera comet. Pictured above, Comet C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) was imaged above the windmill in Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire in southern France with a six-second exposure. In the foreground is a field of lavender. Comet Lovejoy should remain available for photo opportunities for northern observers during much of December and during much of the night, although it will be fading as the month progresses and highest in the sky before sunrise. In person, the comet will be best viewed with binoculars. A giant dirty snowball, Comet Lovejoy last visited the inner Solar System about 7,000 years ago, around the time that humans developed the wheel.

December 09, 2013

(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; astronomy; australia; c2013r1; c2014q2; comet; comet2014q2; cometc2013r1; cometlovejoy; france; greencomet; lovejoy; orion; science
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[Credit & Copyright: Jens Hackmann]

1 posted on 12/09/2013 5:28:01 PM PST by SunkenCiv
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To: SunkenCiv

“I don’t think I’ll ever get over that windmill. Those wounds run ... pretty deep.”


2 posted on 12/09/2013 5:29:36 PM PST by ClearCase_guy
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To: brytlea; cripplecreek; decimon; bigheadfred; KoRn; Grammy; married21; steelyourfaith; Mmogamer; ...
The Big One

3 posted on 12/09/2013 5:29:44 PM PST by SunkenCiv (http://www.freerepublic.com/~mestamachine/)
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To: SunkenCiv

Beautiful Windmill.


4 posted on 12/09/2013 5:31:32 PM PST by Conspiracy Guy (Did the ancients know they were ancients? Or did they see themselves as presents?)
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To: SunkenCiv

OK, I’m lazy. I live in the Sacramento area so where do I look and at what time in order to see this thing. I need to rendezvous with the spaceship behind it.
Know anyone who makes good shears?


5 posted on 12/09/2013 5:31:42 PM PST by Lx (Do you like it? Do you like it, Scott? I call it, "Mr. & Mrs. Tenorman Chili.")
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To: Lx

;’) Don’t forget to buy some new sports shoes.

http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/halebopp/hg/


6 posted on 12/09/2013 5:35:08 PM PST by SunkenCiv (http://www.freerepublic.com/~mestamachine/)
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To: SunkenCiv

Right you are, forgot the Nike’s and a purple towel.


7 posted on 12/09/2013 5:38:32 PM PST by Lx (Do you like it? Do you like it, Scott? I call it, "Mr. & Mrs. Tenorman Chili.")
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To: Conspiracy Guy
Ugly Windmill

 photo windfallwindfarm.jpg

8 posted on 12/09/2013 5:39:01 PM PST by digger48
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To: SunkenCiv

I’m waiting for comet Strangelove.


9 posted on 12/09/2013 5:47:50 PM PST by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: All armed conservatives.)
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To: tumblindice

I’ve got to remember to pick up some comet cleanser.


10 posted on 12/09/2013 5:51:55 PM PST by SunkenCiv (http://www.freerepublic.com/~mestamachine/)
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To: digger48

Those a lovely too. They are also exempt from the fines if they kill any Eagles or other endangered birds. Because those windmills are saving the environment.


11 posted on 12/09/2013 5:52:42 PM PST by Conspiracy Guy (Did the ancients know they were ancients? Or did they see themselves as presents?)
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To: SunkenCiv

‘You know Dasher and Dancer and Comet X and Blitzen,
but do you recall, the most famous dirty ice ball of all?’

Rudolfzilla the fiery comet, had a very shiny tail ....


12 posted on 12/09/2013 5:59:25 PM PST by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: All armed conservatives.)
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To: SunkenCiv

And now Cher can see it for a second time.


13 posted on 12/09/2013 6:03:53 PM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: SunkenCiv

How long until the planet x people latch onto this comet?


14 posted on 12/09/2013 6:39:29 PM PST by Darksheare (Try my coffee, first one's free..... Even robots will kill for it!)
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To: Lx
I live in the Sacramento area so where do I look and at what time in order to see this thing.

Here's my Starry Night image for tomorrow morning's view from Sacramento. Be advised the brightness of the comet is wildly exaggerated, but the location should be quite accurate. ( If you can't find M13, I don't think you'll find the comet! )

15 posted on 12/09/2013 7:29:55 PM PST by dr_lew
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To: dr_lew; Lx

Oops. Originally I had the horizon showing, but I zoomed in because the software didn’t show the comet with the wide view. The info for this hour puts it at 21 deg. above the horizon in the ENE ( rises around 2:40 AM . ) It gives it a magnitude of 8.4, significantly dimmer than M13 at 7.0 , so could be tough to spot, but with a dark sky is should be doable with good binoculars.


16 posted on 12/09/2013 7:40:23 PM PST by dr_lew
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To: dr_lew

Thank you but what does ENE stand for?


17 posted on 12/09/2013 8:47:45 PM PST by Lx (Do you like it? Do you like it, Scott? I call it, "Mr. & Mrs. Tenorman Chili.")
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To: Lx

I guess you don’t do crossword puzzles! ( It’s the opposite of WSW,) i.e. East Northeast, halfway between East and Northeast.


18 posted on 12/09/2013 10:19:51 PM PST by dr_lew
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To: dr_lew

That 8.4 is the predicted magnitude. Astronomy software always runs with the predicted instead of updating with observations.

I would love to know why.

What is the software you are using there?


19 posted on 12/10/2013 7:59:50 AM PST by Conan the Librarian (The Best in Life is to crush my enemies, see them driven before me, and the Dewey Decimal System)
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To: Conan the Librarian

It’s Starry Night, Enthusiasts edition.

They do have updates, but I don’t know if they are on the ball day by day with comet magnitudes.


20 posted on 12/10/2013 3:26:16 PM PST by dr_lew
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