we've had in the last couple years but will require clear skies and
a low, unobstructed view of the northwest horizon.
Keep up with the latest observing info on S&T's page:
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/home/185665152.html
What to expect...
It took until around 8:15 PM EDT before I could pick it up. Sunset was around 7:26 or so; beautiful clear sky but a full 12 degrees or more of horizon-murk persisted the whole time. It was only about 8 degrees off the horizon when I located it and about 5-10 degrees north of due west.
I was using my 20x80 Celestron Binocs on heavy studio-style photo-tripod. Observing site: my 3rd floor window at my home along the ridgetop of Brookline. My view from that window gives me nearly 180 degrees of unobstructed SW/W/NW horizon which I confirmed as virtually Zero-degrees altitude by using a finely graduated pendulum-protractor squared on the center-axle of my 20x80's.
Watched it dim in and out as the layers of horizon-murk passed between me and it. Tracked it down to just under 5 degrees. I can't imagine that dark-sky sites would be worth the trouble; far more important here will be skies that run dead-clear down from 10 degrees through the last 5 degrees to the horizon.
Looks like a comet, albeit wedge-shaped, not just a fuzz-patch.
Assessing it from this session vs. the published maps, I'd say looking for it will -remain- as challenging as this and will continue to require nights as clear as tonight and better, of course the (unlikely) occurrence of less horizon-murk would call for "exceptional" skies. I say "remain challenging" since the maps indicate that it's not due to climb much higher but instead simply creep northward through the coming weeks.
- ERIC C. @Thurs. March 14th, 2013
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