Early last week, the comet Pan-Starr was said to at its brightest and finally high enough in the evening twilight to not be obliterated by the sun's glare. We drove out to the country armed with binocs but unfortunately, for the first time on a clear day, hazy clouds drew up on the horizon. No dice. A couple of days later it was said to appear by a new crescent moon. This time we stayed home-it was supposed to be higher in the sky and we have a few spots in the neighborhood (like the middle of the street) with a good view. Sky and Telescope magazine gave fairly good instructions as to where to find it and when. Perfect viewing weather: very clear.....because it was very cold. With a nasty breeze. So, I told C-let me go out and take a look and I'll come and get you if I have luck. Nope. I moved around the neighborhood, crossed out back to the street there where there are even fewer obstructions. Nope. The wind actually picked up as dusk deepened and I figure the windchill was in single digits. I froze my tuchus and I never found it. I read the next day that the comet is a tad elusive. Not quite a naked eye object-the cool pix I saw of it most likely were made with time exposures through a telescope. And-while getting higher in the sky, it is getting fainter. Bummer. But stay tuned. Comet Ison is expected to appear either late November or early December and has the potential to be spectacular.
editor's note: Comet Ison was totally a bust. Evidently when it swung around the sun, the heat melted Ison's ice hence no tail. It became just another chunk of rock floating through space.
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