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Conference ssdevo::colorado

Title:	Colorado
Notice:	Welcome to COLORADO on SSDEVO::please type DIR/KEY=NEWCOMERS
Moderator:	CSC32::HADDOCK

Created:	Tue Jan 06 1987
Last Modified:	Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2424
Total number of notes:	40416

2405.0. "Hale-Bopp as seen from Colorado" by PEAKS::OAKEY () Wed Mar 19 1997 19:54

For those of you that haven't taken the time to look for Comet Hale-Bopp, it's
not to be missed!

Just wander out about 7:15 tonight and look due Northwest; if you've been scared
off by all the news reports stating things like "look in the constellation
whatsitsnameious" don't worry about it -- you can't miss it when you look
Northwest.

For those more intrepid, the problem with looking at it in the evening is that
the moon is out and washes out the sky a bit.  If you want to see a *really*
fantastic show, get up about 4am and look due Northeast and there it is again
(still can't miss it) -- the tail appears about twice as long as it appears in
the evening.  It is the most impressive comet I've ever seen!

Viewing tips:  Drive to a non-light polluted area to observe it (though my wife
               showed it to a bunch of people last night in downtown Denver
               which gives you an idea of how bright it is!).

               Observe it in the morning.

               Use binoculars.  Hint: Find the binoculars during the day so you
               don't have to turn on the lights to look for the %#*@
               binoculars, destroying your night vision and annoying your spouse
               (like I did this morning)...

               Use "lookaside" viewing.  When using binoculars or the naked
               eye, look slightly *beside* the comet to see it best. This uses
               the rods of the eye which are more sensitive (and only see black
               and white) rather than the cones which see color (unneeded) and
               are less sensitive.

                                  Roger

Ps.  I'll delete this when it's gone (and submit a batch job so it's reposted in
four thousand years when it comes back :-))

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
2405.1	Comet/Lunar-Eclipse Show	CSC32::HADDOCK	Pas Fini!	`Thu Mar 20 1997 15:50`	44
	In case you are not on @social. <Subj: Can you put this on @Social? Thanks... < < < Fred, < < Can you post this to @Social for me? Thanks... < </* <Michael M. Frazier Oracle Internal Systems Support <Lmfrazier@us.oracle.com Colorado Springs, Colorado <frazierm@usa.net <http://www.juggling.org/~michael.frazier/ </ < <---- Included Message ---- < <From: Mike Frazier - Oracle Internal System Support DBA <Reply-To: mfrazier@us.oracle.com Join the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society, this Sunday evening (March 23rd) at Sky Sox Stadium for a Comet and Lunar Eclipse Watch. This is a great family event, as we will be providing the Telescopes and the views of both Comet Hale-Bopp, and of the 92% partial Lunar eclipse. We will also be showing off other heavenly wonders (Orion Nebula, Mars, etc...) We will be starting around dusk and will go until the eclipse ends. For more information, either email me or call me... / Michael M. Frazier Oracle Internal Systems Support mfrazier@us.oracle.com Colorado Springs, Colorado frazierm@usa.net http://www.juggling.org/~michael.frazier/ "It's Microsoft versus mankind with Microsoft having only a slight lead." - Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle Corporation, March 4, 1997 */
2405.2		DSNENG::KOLBE	Wicked Wench of the Web	`Fri Mar 21 1997 16:12`	1
	I saw it last night around 7pm. Too cool. I just wish I had some binoculors. liesl
2405.3	they are coming for us...	CSC32::C_BENNETT		`Fri Mar 28 1997 14:18`	3
	I saw it the other night - it kinda looked like there was a space ship following it - they will be coming to get us soon. Lately I have been getting this sensation to drink phenobarbital and vodka (yummy).
2405.4		KDX200::COOPER	There is no TRY - DO or DO NOT!	`Fri Mar 28 1997 14:37`	1
	I prefer a twist with my vodka. :-)
2405.5		CSC32::HADDOCK	Pas Fini!	`Fri Mar 28 1997 15:37`	2
	If designing web sites does that to you, I don't want no part of it. fred();
2405.6		CSC32::HADDOCK	Pas Fini!	`Fri Mar 28 1997 15:46`	13
	On a more serious note, Hale-Bopp just keeps getting better and better. It is higher in the sky in the evening and brighter. Should be no problem seeing it with the naked eye even from within the city. Even if you are not into stars&stuff it would probably be worth the trip to get out of town where it's real dark. A chance like this don't come along very often. Watch out for the UFO's though. Trivia question: What current celestial even played a significant part in a major Science Ficeion story? Name story and event. fred();
2405.7	Make the trip out of town	PLIERS::R_RHODES	Rich Rhodes, MCS	`Mon Mar 31 1997 21:19`	14
	We went to Wilkerson pass last night to get a good look. There is no comparison between what you see thru the lights of town and what you see out there. I'm sure there are more accessible places without backlight, but we looked back toward Colorado Springs and still saw the sky lit up from 50 miles west. If this thing at all interests you (I'm not talking metaphysical stuff here), get out to a point where you can see the stars really well. The tail appears to be at least 10 times larger and is split into two parts. We had a pair of binoculars and a spotting scope (20X-60X) and the binoculars were much better. Find some really clear binoculars. I have another pair of cheapies that were worse than useless. It's a unique show. It's no wonder people freaked out when Halley's went by last century. In an era of little artificial light and lots of ignorance (although they certainly didn't have a corner on ignorance, apparently) the constant presence of the comet in the sky would be a much more major event. Rich
2405.8		SPECXN::BARNES		`Tue Apr 08 1997 11:51`	6
	re; trivia question.. the event is Hale-Bop. the movie was called Life Force, explaining our vampire myths. The first 20 minutes are, err shall we say mesmerizing. deadhead