Wednesday, November 27, 2013

O/T: ISON Comet Watch -- Around Noon -- To A Bit After 2 PM EST Tomorrow



UPDATED: 1 PM EST -- IMAGE!





. . . .“I have realized; it is during the times I am far outside my element that I experience myself the most. That I see and feel who I really am, the most! I think that's what a comet is like, you see, a comet is born in the outer realms of the universe! But it's only when it ventures too close to our sun or to other stars that it releases the blazing "tail" behind it and shoots brazen through the heavens!. . . . That's why I enjoy taking myself out of my own element, my own comfort zone, and hurling myself out into the unknown. Because it's during those scary moments, those unsure steps taken, that I am able to see that I'm like a comet hitting a new atmosphere: suddenly I illuminate magnificently and fire dusts begin to fall off of me! I discover a smile I didn't know I had, I uncover a feeling that I didn't know existed in me. . . I see myself. I'm a shooting star. A meteor shower. But I'm not going to die out. I guess I'm more like a comet then. I'm just going to keep on coming back. . . .”

-― C. JoyBell C.

. . . .“It may well be on such a night of clouds and cruel colors that there is brought forth upon the earth such a portent as a respectable poet. You say you are a poet of law; I say you are a contradiction in terms. I only wonder there were not comets and earthquakes on the night you appeared in this garden. . . .”

― G.K. Chesterton, The Man Who Was Thursday


I am a geek. I'll confess it openly, here. Yes, I am completely and forever captivated by celestial events.

Tomorrow's could potentially be one we all remember for the rest of our lives, and our children, likewise. Or it could be. . . a dud. No way to know -- gotta show up, and see. But this one may unfold -- while we are preparing our turkey-feasts, here in the US -- around midday, Eastern tomorrow. Go here for near real-time updates, images and movies, from Comet ISON HQ -- starting at around 12:45 pm Eastern, on Thanksgiving Day.

Until then, do take a look at this YouTube, from NASA, about the possibility of being able -- very early on December 1 through 4, 2013 -- to easily see with your naked eye, the comet ISON (possibly quite a bright object) in the luminous yet clear dawn skies. [Of course, it may also disintegrate under the massive gravitational/tidal stresses of bending such a tight loop around our sun. We will have to wait and see, tomorrow. And that's eternally fascinating -- to me, at least.]



2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Simply said for the Sun, it was too close for comfort! ISON was zapped that left no dust or trail behind. As astronomy buff myself, I was simply flabbergasted with an event unfolding right in front of our eyes. To me the most fascinating was to watch the threatening speed of ISON going higher every second as it approached the massive star. The NASA video also displayed the solar storm (in waves) that made me realize how precious our Earth is!

-- Been There, Done That

Condor said...

I completely agree -- but there may yet be some life left in the old girl, it would seem!

Eternally captivating -- and ever surprising!

I love it!

Namaste