The Planet Venus...... and a comet

[Guinea Goonie]

The Moon and Venus on February 27

On Friday, February 27, a sliver of a crescent moon, only 9-percent lit, will sit beside blazing Venus as darkness falls until the two solar system objects set. The pair will lie just a degree and a half apart, or a little more than the size of your pinky held at arm’s length. This beautiful sight will make for a great photo opportunity. Venus is in the constellation Pisces this month and will remain there into March, when it eventually meets back up with the sun.
Comet Lulin Is Bright and Easy to Find

A newly discovered comet passes close to Earth in February, visible in binoculars and perhaps even with the unaided eye. Comet Lulin, or C/2007 N3, reaches its peak of brightness around February 24. It moves quickly through the constellations Libra and Virgo and passes by bright objects such as Saturn, making it easy to spot. Comet Lulin is a unique two-tailed comet, sporting both a traditional tail and an anti-tail. Read more about Comet Lulin and how to see it.

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

Thanks for sharing. I love seeing those kinds of thing but always forget about them.

Ill have to remember this.

 

[Ec_Prokta]

Cool!

 

[LilPeeps]

Currently C/2007 N3 is at mag 6.3 in Virgo. At its closest approach it will be around mag 5. It's moving approximately 5° backwards along the ecliptic each day. Feb 23 and 24 it will be about 3° away from Saturn.

 

[English Chick]

Time to get out my son's telescope...thanks for that...

 

[LilPeeps]

Did anyone go out to see the comet tonight? It wasn't too bright, but it was there! I got a few pics, here's one of them (C/2007 N3 is circled, and Saturn is above it to the left).

Here's what the comet looks like up close (not my pic, it's featured as APOD for 2/25/09).

 

[Jena]

Beautiful, absolutely Beautiful

Thank you for sharing this,

and thanks for the pics Lilpeeps.

What a wonderful place we are in.

Jena.

 

[Mahonri]

"And I say to myself, 'What a wonderful world'!"

 

[Reinbeau]

Here is a good page full of links for viewing the comet.

 

[swampducks]

Cool, thanks!

I wonder if it will be cloudy here on the 27th. We live in the woods so we don't have much opportunity to use our telescope. Was much easier when we lived in VA.