OTTUMWA —
People in the northern hemisphere are about to get a treat: A comet visible to the naked eye.
NASA calls such a comet a "rare delicacy" for watchers. Over the course of this month, Comet Panstarrs should be visible to those who look. But it could be tricky.
How rare are comets visible to people without telescopes or binoculars? Experts say they only appear every five or 10 years. Even at that rate, not every comet is visible to everyone on earth. That makes Panstarrs something worth taking the time to spot.
The comet should be visible just after sunset. It will be low on the horizon, so you will need to be at an open area in order to spot it. It should be visible tonight, but only for about 15 minutes after sunset. And that's if there are no clouds.
Panstarrs should be easier to spot as it climbs higher in the sky for a few days, but it's likely to slip back into invisibility by the end of the month.
This is a rare year for sky watchers. Panstarrs is only the first of two comets that should become visible. Comet Ison will make its appearance late this year and, if it survives a brush with the sun intact, could become the most spectacular comet to pass by in years.
Community News Network
Related Photos
Share your thoughts!
Comet visible tonight, if weather cooperates
- Community News Network
-
-
Kia Optima is a hit with the buying public
When it comes to midsized family sedans, the Kia Optima ranks high on my list for its good looks, economy and value.
-
The story behind the viral deer on a bus video
The way bus driver John Porter tells it, some of his co-workers now call him “John Deer.”
-
Identity-theft victim jailed on culprit’s warrant
Kurt Millard spent most of last weekend in jail, locked up on another man’s arrest warrant. The 26-year-old resident of Joplin, Mo. could not convince his jailers they had the wrong guy.
-
SLIDESHOW: Texas storms damage homes, uproot trees
After a series of tornadoes touched down outside Dallas, residents of many Texas communities are cleaning up.
-
VIDEO: Man hands out Abercrombie clothes on Skid Row in bid to shame brand
Anger has mounted online against clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch due to comments made by its chief executive and its strategy of not making women's clothing in any size above large.
-
Feces contaminates 58 percent of public swimming pools
Human feces taints more than half of public swimming pools, a finding U.S. health officials are using to urge better personal hygiene as the summer months approach.
-
VIDEO: Bombing suspect allegedly wrote confession in boat
Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev allegedly penned a note inside the boat where he was found hiding from authorities, explaining his rationale for his part in the deadly explosion.
-
MAP: Tornadoes carve across North Texas communities
As many as 10 tornadoes touched down soouthwest of Dallas, Texas on Wednesday.
-
Editorial: Seizure of AP phone records insult to independent press
This amounts to spying on an American news organization -- common practice in dictatorships but scary conduct in a democratic system that prizes the public value of an independent watchdog press.
-
VIDEO: Texas tornadoes damage homes, businesses
The Dallas Morning News has the latest on the tornadoes that tore through the region Wednesday night.
-
Tornadoes tear through East Texas; 6 people killed
A pack of tornadoes killed at least six people and injured dozens more in East Texas Wednesday night.
-
How to get the most out of your air conditioner this summer
Experts say preventative maintenance on your air conditioner can save you hundreds of dollars.
-
Millersville players help couple resuscitate ailing child
The Millersville University baseball team came up with a great save this week, but it had nothing to do with the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference tournament being played at Point Stadium.
-
VIDEO: Deer gets on, off city bus
A CamTran bus picked up an unscheduled passenger on Tuesday evening – a white-tailed deer.
-
VIDEO: One by one, homes in Calif. subdivision sinking
Scott and Robin Spivey had a sinking feeling that something was wrong with their home when cracks began snaking across their walls in March. Within two weeks their property dropped 10 feet below the street.
- More Community News Network Headlines
-
