Re: Comet Curiosity

jeffery lynn mullins (jmullins@wam.umd.edu)
Wed, 27 Mar 1996 09:45:58 -0500 (EST)

I have a background in astronomy, and I also have an inner drive not to
miss unique or rare events, but when I look up at the comet and see a
bright spot with a cloud-like haze around it, I can only stare for so
long. I know that the chances of seeing a tail with the naked eye in a
location near D.C. is almost non-existent, but that's what people want to
see. If I could see the tail, then I would stare longer. I for one
would rather look at the pictures taken rather than just a hazy ball of
light with the naked eye (however, I wish dearly that I had a pair of
binoculars, even with this lousy light-filled sky around here). I think
that comets are given so much hype in the media and people want to see an
object as bright as the full moon with a huge tail that can be seen with
the naked eye. This is very rare, and could only be seen in a very dark
sky when a comet is near the earth and sun. When most people see a dim
fuzz-ball in urban light-soaked skies, they say "What was all the hype all
about," and go back inside.

Jeff

On Tue, 26 Mar 1996, Paul Arveson wrote:

> My wife was at a church-sponsored retreat last weekend, when the comet
> Hyakutake was closest. The sky was clear, and everyone had heard that it would
> be visible. (Indeed it was -- I could even see it in a well-lit parking lot
> near DC).
>
> She made an interesting observation. Some people rushed outside and spent a
> long time looking at it. Some people glanced at it, and then went back inside
> quickly. Some people didn't even care to go outside.
>
> These were all mature Christian women from the same church. With totally
> different reactions to a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon of nature. What do you
> sociologists make of this?
>
> What if Moses had not turned aside to examine the wonder of the burning
> bush?
>
> Paul Arveson, Research Physicist
> 73367.1236@compuserve.com arveson@oasys.dt.navy.mil
> (301) 227-3831 (W) (301) 227-1914 (FAX) (301) 816-9459 (H)
> Code 724, NSWC, Bethesda, MD 20084
>
>