Comet Lulin Update

[uujudy]

COMET LULIN UPDATE: Comet Lulin is approaching Earth and brightening rapidly. Observers say it is now visible to the naked eye as a faint (magnitude +5.6) gassy patch in the constellation Virgo before dawn. Even city dwellers have seen it. Backyard telescopes reveal a vivid green comet in obvious motion. Just 2 days ago, amateur astronomers watched as a solar wind gust tore away part of the comet's tail, the second time this month such a thing has happened. Lulin's closest approach to Earth (38 million miles) is on Feb. 24th; at that time the comet could be two or three times brighter than it is now. Browse the gallery for the latest images: http://spaceweather.com/comets/gallery_lulin_page8.htm

[Cassie325]

UU...thank you as always for giving us this info! It is such a treat and has given our family a new interest in the night sky's!

We will try to watch for it on the 24th with hopes there are no clouds in the sky!!

[RCT]

I heard that the developer is using Comet Lulin as a sales ploy, advertising that you can see it best from The Villages, boosting sales by 3.4 percent!! ;)

[apophis]

Imagine. When Lulin went past the earth last, we were only what? a few hundred thousand people, scattered on the planet. clad in leathers and furs, the stone age?

And now, Lulin passes right past us, and we are -- whatever you care to say we are now.

I wonder: What will be here of us when next Lulin passes? Will we even be here? Will we only be a memory? We will have become gods? Or -- will we be back to when Lulin was by last?

Just wondering....

[villages07]

Here's a link to show you where to look for Lulin in the night sky (E-SE sky, above Saturn, 9pm):

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/35992534.html