Comet-gazing

Lovejoy

Agathe and Opal have been anticipating another exciting celestial event. They have been peering animatedly at the southeast sky at sundown for the last few evenings, but all they have seen up till now was a full moon on some nights and fog on the others.

Tonight, though, their persistence paid off, and gazing towards the right of the star Rigel (the bright star at the bottom right of Orion), they are pretty sure they have spotted comet C/2011 W3, otherwise known as Lovejoy!

Tags: comet, doll, Lovejoy, Quimper Hitty, Quimperhitty, stargazing

10 thoughts on “Comet-gazing”

Mad for the Farthing Crowd on January 9, 2015 at 4:23 am said:

Thanks for the reminder! We’ll brave the cold and venture out. The Wiregrass Hitties have been enjoying the grouping on the other side of the sky – Mercury, Venus and Mars above the western horizon just after sunset.

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- Quimper Hitty on January 9, 2015 at 7:19 am said:
  
  It is a little faint, but the comet is there! The sky is so exciting!
  
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Becky on January 9, 2015 at 8:14 am said:

Appreciate your keeping us abreast of celestial events. Thanks QHs.

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- Quimper Hitty on January 9, 2015 at 4:05 pm said:
  
  We love the sky, and hope to share wonderment!
  
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murielmakes on January 9, 2015 at 9:30 am said:

Wonderful their perseverance paid off! Happy stargazing girls.

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- Quimper Hitty on January 9, 2015 at 4:07 pm said:
  
  We are happy! But it looks like it is all cloudy again tonight, so it is lucky we got spotted it last night. I think it will be visible for another week or two, but it was closest to the sun last Wednesday so it will now be getting fainter.
  
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Sherry on January 9, 2015 at 12:44 pm said:

very interesting and a great photo. We have been viewing the full moon and venus as they rise over the wooded hills . And yes the skies are always a source of wonder.

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- Quimper Hitty on January 9, 2015 at 4:08 pm said:
  
  The full moon is a wonderment all of its own!
  
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littleislander on January 9, 2015 at 3:51 pm said:

Wow, I’m amazed you got a photo of it! We missed it unfortunately. Next time!

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- Quimper Hitty on January 9, 2015 at 4:10 pm said:
  
  Well, ahem, the photo might possibly have been *coff coff* adjusted for increased visibility, but we DID see a small blur in the right location which was Probably the comet…I admit that I’m not an astronomical photographer at all!
  
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