Good morning, all! Welcome to an early morning lecture on Comet pan-STARRs here at the Blogmocracy Observatory. Yes its early, yes our grad ass CJ has a side table of bagels and donuts and coffee for us. So, let’s get started:
Comet Pan-STARRS is becoming visible in the northern hemisphere. The details are from our friends at spaceweather.com: Do read on!
THE MAGNITUDE OF COMET PAN-STARRS: “There seem to be a lot of pictures, but a shortage of magnitude estimates for Comet Pan-STARRS,” says Richard Keen, professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Colorado. “I saw it for the first time this evening, and got a magnitude estimate before the comet slipped behind a narrow cloud bank.” Keen is an expert observer of astronomical brightness, especially that of lunar eclipses which he uses to study aerosols in the stratosphere. “The comet is magnitude +0.2 with a short, but bright vertical tail. It was quite visible to the unaided eye. After the [head of the comet] set behind the mountains, the tail was visible for two or three more minutes.”
A growing number of observers say they can see the comet with their unaided eye. Here it is on March 14th at sunset over Valley Forge, PA:
“The comet looked fantastic through my 10×70 Fujinon binoculars, and it was barely visible to the naked eye,” says photographer John Chumack. Note: “Barely visible” is an improvement over recent nights.
Visibility should continue to improve in the nights ahead as Pan-STARRS moves away from the sun. Keen’s magnitude estimate of +0.2 means that the comet is approximately twice as bright as a first magnitude star. When it is framed by darker skies, it will really stand out. Tonight when the sun goes down, step outside, face west, and take a look: sky map.
More: NASA video, 3D orbit, ephemeris, light curves.
The seeing has been pretty bad in Bakersfield, Ca. Besides the bad air pollution there has been high clouds. I hope to see it with my 7 by 50 binoculars.
BatGuano wrote:
“have been” PIMF.
Especially with DST, I’m just not up late enough these days…
Gosh, is evrybody practicing their St. Paddy’s Day hangovers or something?
IF I MAY TAKE A MOMENT TO INFORM….a FOUR-LEAF CLOVER has nothing to do with St. Patrick or the Irish and is NOT the same as a SHAMROCK which has THREE “leaves”. The shamrock was, as the legend goes, used by St. Patrick during the conversion of Ireland, to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) which is at once ONE and THREE entities.
Again, a SHAMROCK (three leaves) is the symbol relating to Ireland and St. Patrick, NOT a FOUR-LEAF CLOVER!
Thank you, now go forth and correct the misinformed. Thank you for your time.
@ MacDuff:
Uh, who didn’t know that? (Says the Celt that went to parochial school…)
@ MacDuff:
And along the same line, corned beef and cabbage is NOT traditional Irish food. Essentially American, adopted by the Irish (and others.) Derived from mariner’s traditional salt beef. “Corn” referred to the size of the salt pellets layered with the beef in the storage barrels.
Mike C. wrote:
To those, such as you, who already knew it, my apologies. Alas, the ignorance on this subject is rampant, however. I’ve been watching Fox News this morning and after every commercial break they show a little St. Paddy’s themed animation adorned with four-leaf clovers.
Every year I see the same thing, sigh…….
Mike C. wrote:
Once the misinformation takes root, it’s near impossible to root it out. It takes on a life of its own.
@ MacDuff:
Actually, St. Patrick’s Day is not all that big a deal in Ireland, or so I’ve been told.
But that reminds me, I need to go get out the ROI flag…
Mike C. wrote:
funny how that works. its available in every pub in ireland, was served by my ex father in law at least twice a month (sundays), and i had never heard of it until i lived there.
Mike C. wrote:
it wasnt until all the people who left in the 70′s and 80′s returned home from abroad.
now its a big party there as well instead of simply a holy day
@ coldwarrior:
My parents referred to corned beef, cabagge, potatos and carrots as a “New England boiled dinner.” I grew up eating it. I guess it went back across the pond with the contributions to the IRA.
Mike C. wrote:
Sort of like Cinco de Mayo in Mexico.
It’s an excuse for American college students to drink Corona.
Mike C. wrote:
yeah, that and some ‘donations for the cause’.
Well, I dug out the flag and got it up at least. It’s a proper flag with grommets, and all I have is one of those bracket-mounted poles for sleeved flags, so it was a bit more work, but whatever.
@ MacDuff:
Morning Mac. The story told to me is that the association of corned beef
& the Irish began in New York with immigtants.
Cash was tight , so the would buy the cheapest cut at Jewish delis.
@ coldwarrior:
My middle name is Emmet, a traditional Irish name, from the last name of Robert Emmet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Emmet
anybody watch Ben Carson’s speech?
eaglesoars wrote:
??? missed it.
got called off today, was watchin the american lemans race and getting ready to brew some beer.
gotta link?
coldwarrior wrote:
too early he just finished -- I caught the last 5 mins -- forgot it was going to be on -- I’m looking now if I find one I’ll post it
This is where it will be posted apparently. All speeches are here up to Bachman who spoke before Carson
CPAC speeches
Gonna try my hand at making a traditional Irish soda bread myself. And I almost never do any baking -- that’s the wife’s gig. But what the hell?
Mike C. wrote:
that is great stuff. some kerrygold butter and smoked salmon with that!
YUM!
I’ve been reading up on the history of church bells in the 1741 Cyclopedia. It looks like everyone took them for granted until Saint Bede -- and it looks like when Bede was asked about the history of church bells, he made something up. (sometimes Bede does that)
By the 680s AD, the Syrian churches were using wooden rattles. Some say that the Arabs had banned church bells.
Zimriel wrote:
true! true!
Video: Ben Carson — Obama Trying to ‘Destroy the Country’
Mike C. wrote:
Nope not I. Sloooooooooooooooow day. Besides St. Paddy’s is tomorrow.
No party for me.
MacDuff wrote:
And….you can order Shamrock seeds..I know awesome huh? I did and because of health issues never got around to planting them..plus you can even order some special dirt to plant them in.
Guggi wrote:
Dr. Ben is right on the money and is one of the few people who has the goonads to stand up and tell it like it is. (I almost said “call a spade a spade”, but I’m glad I didn’t
)
MacDuff wrote:
To which I say another reason NOT to watch commericals. They are annoying and spread bad information. I perfer to download to my DVR. Plus I haven’t been watching the news …giving myself a break.
@ eaglesoars:
@ Guggi:
thanks yinz!
the good doctor’s speech is up in the ‘special report’
Guggi wrote:
Carson going straight for the jugular of obama I see. It’s a lovely thing to read…the truth for once!
lobo91 wrote:
Tingles is an idiot…and on display each and everyday.
Here’s a clue as to why there’s been a pattern of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.
Paedophilia is an illness NOT a crime, says cardinal just days after papal conclave
Uh-oh!
Fat Beagle Brewery will be up and running this afternoon!
first up to brew: India Pale Ale
@ coldwarrior:
Part 1 at least.
Lily wrote:
And he does it with the demeanor of a Sunday School teacher. Love it!
huckfunn wrote:
I’m not real sure that is going to go over well with this new Pope even though he was in the conclave.
@ huckfunn:
*facepalm*
huckfunn wrote:
I think it is awesome! Someone actully having the backbone to tell the truth!
@ coldwarrior:
I should be able to see the Pann Starrs comet tonight provided we have clear skies. This will be my first opportunity to see it. I was in OK this past week and the skies were overcast.
huckfunn wrote:
give us a report! it is just damned shitmist gray here
Lily wrote:
I wonder how wide-spread that
misguidedcriminal enabling theory is within the upper echelons of the Church. I hope the Pope directly contradicts that wayward cardinal.eeeheeeheeeeheee! oooowhoooowhoooo! Bwahaahaaahaaahaaaaa!!!
coldwarrior wrote:
Yes.
(Assimilating new word into vocabulary…)
@ Lily:
The way the story goes, St. Patrick left Briton to minister to the Irish
after ordination.
He entered a culture where the provincial kings Druid had all of the prestige
and power of the number two man.
Patrick explains the Trinity using the Shamrock & the Druids all just rolled
over? Gotta be more to it.
huckfunn wrote:
Within the upper echelons of the Church? Who knows….but I would wager a guess that not every Cardinal thinks like the other.
I hope that he has a food taster. Committing truth is a capital offense in the
Age of Obama.
RIX wrote:
There is always something more to it. Probably along the mystical lines…
Bumr50 wrote:
i have described this in that manner for over 20 years now.
shitmist.
RIX wrote:
he knee-capped two of them.
that did the trick.
@ RIX:
I wonder if my Shamrock seeds are still good? Shamrocks are bigger than just regular clover. Plus down here if you see a batch of clover in the summer it looks all cool and welcoming and just perfect to go lay down in! Then make necklaces of the flowers.
Obama is a real shitologist
Proof:
Obama Jokes About The Sequester
huckfunn wrote:
A person who cannot stop himself from molesting children needs to be put where he can’t harm anybody, without delay. We used to lock up that sort of offender in institutions for the criminally insane.
Having such a perverse sexual attraction and NEVER under any circumstances acting on it is a disorder, but not a crime or even a sin, in and of itself.
Acting on it is a crime.
RIX wrote:
Yep…but he may bring his own food…obama is the one that doesn’t want the truth known.
I’m guessing that the provincial kings & the High King at Tara were impressed
with the Romanized Christian Padrig.
It was probably that the Druids lost the power struggle.
@ 1389AD:
Even to entertain the thought is a sin but not a crime. Because if you think about it enough you just may act on it.
RIX wrote:
Yep and out of all the Saints I’ve read about…it’s a shame I haven’t studied St.Patrick. Don’t know why…
When you are busily destroying the country due to racial & class grudges,
you probably don’t want too much public.
RIX wrote:
No kidding.
He was quite a guy. He was taken hostage by Irish Pirates & pretty
much sold into slavery & forced to tend the flocks.
Under Brehon Law , he was released in I think two years.
Instead of bitterness, he came back to minister to the Irish.
By all accounts he was very kind.
1389AD wrote:
Yep. Those pervs need to be permanently removed from society. Decades of research shows that they cannot be “cured” or “rehabilitated”.
Lily wrote:
from last year
RIX wrote:
Sounds like a Saint…ordinary people who live extraordinary live’s.
Try to plant them in an ND configuration. you know Gods team.
I await the incoming.
Lily wrote:
That is also true.huckfunn wrote:
True.
RIX wrote:
god must be a baptist from ‘bama then.
Sounds like a Saint…ordinary people who live extraordinary live’s.
@ Lily:
One of his first acolytes was St. Bridget.
Notice all of the Paddy & Bridget jokes.
Those names kind of gave way to Megan, Colleen, Sean & Brian.
@ coldwarrior:
Thanks!
Correction, Patrick was not released from captivity under Brehon Law,
he escaped back to Briton.
RIX wrote:
That would be interesting and pretty to boot!
Yeah there is that.
You heard the joke about Our Lord & Savior Jesus Chris turning down
the head coaching job at Notre Dame.
“I am flattered by the offer & it is my mothers school and all.
But it is too hard to recruit, bad weather & all of that mandatory
on campus living. I think that I will just stay as Defensive Coordinator
at Middle Tennessee State.”
RIX wrote:
Because of our last name my brother starting looking into ancestor’s…whoa..we thought we were Irish..nope Scottish …Highlander Scottish. Weren’t we surprised. (On my father’s side, my mother’s side German and Canadian French) I truly am a mixed breed!
RIX wrote:
Because an angel scolded him to do so!
I think that it would be eloquent.
That sounds right. He did a lot of introspective soul searching,
tending the flocks.
coldwarrior wrote:
Lot’s of Baptist’s in ‘bama for sure.
@ RIX:
He prayed very heavily….100′s of prayers in the day and the night…I suppose God wanted some action now.
Highlander Scots were colonists from Ulster, Iona and Dal Riada. So not surprising to find Gaelic names from there.
@ Zimriel:
Thanks Zimriel! Yes lots of Gaelic names.
@ Zimriel:
Yup. The Scots were Irish. Hence the name “Scots.” From Scotia, the Latin name for Ireland. ‘Course, they intermingled with the Picts, who were also Celts.
@ Mike C.:
We were orginally MacGregors but the King made us change our name under penality of death (head cut off)…some went under ground and didn’t change the name. Our line of the family did change the name..but kept the Mc part.
@ Lily:
Likewise with my grandmother’s family, the McCools, although we’re not real sure what it was anglicized from.
Really slow day today.
Okay on a side note…yesterday I worked a little bit at the shop I use to work at…just some lite work. Pricing some jewelry. I also did cardio rehab and blood pressure isn’t all over the place like it has been the past couple of months. Also had an abscessed tooth pulled Thursday, which by the way is still hurting…darn it and finally got full…I was sooooooooo hungry yesterday and this morning from all the action.
Okay I shared and probably bored everyone to death…well let’s hope just to sleep.
@ Bumr50:
Don’t know what the McCools did I know what the MacGregors did..they killed a very well known and high ranking personw within the Kings circle it was a bridge too far as far as the King thought.
Good job, morons…
Say what you want about Palin, she certainly knows how to get under their skin.
Lily wrote:
I guess that he was kind of a mystic.
@ Lily:
Or the McCools could have once been MacGregors??
@ Lily:
Mostly the McCools were MacDowells, but there were some other families that fell into the “McCool” fold.
lobo91 wrote:
Fun, fun, fun!!!! Now why in the world would they release criminals?
With this administration common sense and what they do are like oil and water. Fools. A book name for the obama years:
The Years Americans Went Bat Sh*t Crazy and Let The Fools in DC Run Things
Lets Not Forget How Treasonous the Administration Was and the Media Too!
Sure it’s long but hey it fits the bill.
@ Bumr50:
Septs of a clan. The Watsons were a sept of Clan Buchanan.
Bumr50 wrote:
It’ so damn easy!!!!! Really it is. I have family like them. Really it’s low hanging fruit to be honest. They are so easily offended. When you have people in congress that think that putting more people on an island might tip it over….yes indeed it is so easy to make fun of them. Really. And more people should be doing it. Because then actually people might look into to how stupid these people are.
RIX wrote:
I have noticed that Saints pray, pray, pray. Then some of them are called to action.
Bumr50 wrote:
I’m not doing the research my brother is…were they Highlanders also?
@ Lily:
I have no idea, but…
THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!
//
My all time favorite Catholics are the Knights Templar.
They were the Navy Seals of the Church.
Saladin ordered that no Templars be taken alive.
He feared them even in chains.