First off, it has been a warm day around our area, with highs in the 80s around the Sound. Warmest day of July so far.
Take a look at this afternoon’s satellite imagery from NOAA Satellites. Clear over all areas except the coastal regions.
The clear weather is expected to continue tonight and tomorrow. Here is the UW forecast model showing expected cloud cover over our area at 11 PM.
Clear nearly everywhere! Great conditions in most of WA and OR, and perfectly clear over Idaho and Montana! This will make some great viewing conditions to see the comet all around the PNW!
Now...what you probably want to know...how do you see the comet?
For starters, the comet will be visible in the northwest sky, so know where that is prior to going outside. The best time to view the comet starts 1.5-2 hours after sunset (9 PM). So, that makes the best time to see the comet around 11:00 PM, and later, if you’re still up. I’d go outside a bit earlier so that you can find a place to see the comet.
Here is a picture from Skunk Bay Weather last night around 11 PM showing the comet in the sky.
On his blog, Cliff Mass provides very good information on how to view the comet. He recommends finding a place without much light, letting your eyes adjust to the night, and using binoculars. He also says that he was able to see the comet from North Seattle last night without much difficulty. Suburban areas of the South Sound should be good viewing areas!
This will be the last good night to see the comet until Saturday night, though the comet will slowly begin to fade as it gets farther from the sun. Take advantage of the opportunity to see the comet...this one won’t be around for the next 6,800 years! Literally a once in a lifetime opportunity!
No comments:
Post a Comment