Stop. Look Up. Is That Comet PANSTARRS?
DC-area residents got a spectacular view of the rare "naked-eye" comet, which should be visible in the southwestern sky through the end of the month.
Photos
Comet 2011 L4, better known as PANSTARRS, is a true astronomical rarity because it is visible to the naked eye--something that occurs only once every 5 to 10 years, according to NASA.
According to Amy Mainzer, the principal investigator of NASA’s NEOWISE mission, “There is a catch to viewing comet PANSTARRS…a relatively unobstructed view to the southwest at twilight and, of course, some good comet-watching weather.”
Viewers captured some stunning photos of the comet over the Lincoln Memorial in Washington this week, with its passage coinciding with a crescent moon.
NASA says that PANSTARRS should still be visible through the end of the month but it will be tougher to see (even with binoculars or most home telescopes) as March ends.
While this comet viewing opportunity is rare, Mainzer said on the NASA web site that comet ISON may become a “spectacular naked-eye comet later this fall.”
Have you seen PANSTARRS?
Share your photos, videos or stories with other Patch readers.
Crowley Harmsworth
7:52 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
really??? ASTROLOGICAL?
Crowley Harmsworth
7:52 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
Can it tell my future?
Babu G. Ranganathan
10:26 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
ASTEROIDS, COMETS, AND METEORS ORIGINATED FROM EARTH: In the Earth's past there were powerful volcanic explosions propelling millions of tons of earth soil and rock (now asteroids and meteors which may contain organic molecules or organisms) into space. Read my popular Internet article, ANY LIFE ON MARS CAME FROM EARTH. The article explains how millions of tons of Earth soil may exist on Mars, and how debris we call asteroids and meteors could have originated from Earth. According to a Newsweek article of September 21, 1998, p. 12 that quotes a NASA scientist, SEVEN MILLION tons of Earth soil may exist on Mars! How could this be possible? Read and find out.
Even if the right chemicals exist, life cannot arise by chance. The molecules that make-up life have to be in a sequence, just like the letters found in a sentence. Please read my popular Internet articles listed below:
SCIENCE AND THE ORIGIN OF LIFE, NATURAL LIMITS OF EVOLUTION, HOW FORENSIC SCIENCE REFUTES ATHEISM, WAR AMONG EVOLUTIONISTS (2nd Edition), DOES GOD PARTICLE EXPLAIN UNIVERSE'S ORIGIN? ANY LIFE ON MARS CAME FROM EARTH, NO HALF-EVOLVED DINOSAURS
Check out my most recent Internet articles and sites: THE SCIENCE SUPPORTING CREATION and WAR AMONG EVOLUTIONISTS (2nd Edition)
Babu G. Ranganathan*
B.A. Bible/Biology
Author of popular Internet article, TRADITIONAL DOCTRINE OF HELL EVOLVED FROM GREEK ROOTS
Michael Theis
1:35 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
As the editor of this site, rest assured that I absolutely flabberghasted that I did not catch that error before the article went live. I will be drumming the difference between astronomical and astrological into Mr. Gross' head. The error has been corrected.
As for Mr. Ranganathan: chill out, the adults have some astronomical phenomena to look at.