Comet Ison and Geminids- Thailand trip in December

Alright, this is for sharing of your observation experience. Or, if you are arranging gatherings, star-gazing expeditions or just want some company to go observing together, you can shout it out here.
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starfinder
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Comet Ison and Geminids- Thailand trip in December

Post by starfinder »

Hi, would anyone be interested in a trip up north (beyond 20 degrees latitude) to view Comet Ison post-perihelion?

Perihelion (closest passage of the comet round the Sun) would be on 28 November 2013. The comet would be at its brightest and with the longest tail soon after perihelion. Apparently the dates for the most optimal viewing (brightest + longest tail) would be in the 1st week of December, though the comet would be very low above the horizon at dawn at that time. As it would be near New Moon then, it would be a good opportunity to view the northern winter Milky Way too.

From our latitude near the equator, the comet would I think be too low to be visible at that time, hence the need to travel north.

Or does anyone know of planned trips from Singapore to view the comet in December?
Last edited by starfinder on Mon Nov 04, 2013 8:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Comet Ison - expedition up north in December?

Post by bornfree »

how far north are you planning to go?
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Re: Comet Ison - expedition up north in December?

Post by starfinder »

There are a number of factors involved. Cloud conditions would be a major factor, and also travel distance and time from Singapore. Also, for this comet, the further north the better (post-perihelion). However, most places in the far north (>30 deg) are generally cloudy, and the less cloudy places in the very far north (>60 deg) tend to be very cold and remote.

Somewhere in the Arabian peninsula might be a good compromise. It's very dry and cloud free there at that time of the year, from what I can tell from the statistics. Can check this out (see, e.g. Decembers in 2012 and before):
http://m.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Glob ... 2_M_CLD_FR
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Re: Comet Ison - expedition up north in December?

Post by starfinder »

Yi Han and I have finalised arrangements for a trip to Thailand to catch the Geminids and Comet Ison.

Does anyone want to join us?

Flight-out on Sun 8 December. 2 nights stay in Bangkok. Then 4 nights stay at a tourist farmstay about 150km+ north of Bangkok.

The farm is in a rural area which appears to have quite dark skies. December is the cool dry season, with low cloud coverage in that region.

Flight back to Sg on Sat 14 Dec.

Geminids peak at 120/hr, forecast around 13th nite. Moon will set at ard 3am, giving abt 2 good hrs with radiant still high in sky. Moon sets earlier every day before that. It should be abt 40-60+/hr in the 2 nites before that.

Comet Ison should be ard mag 4 at that time, with long tail, assuming it survives perihelion. It wld be abt 10-15 deg above the horizon just before morning twilight starts.

Anyone interested to join pls let us know soon. Subject to availability.

(PS: for suggestions on other places/times etc, pls post on another thread, tks.)
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Re: Comet Ison and Geminids- Thailand trip in December

Post by starfinder »

Anyone interested to join us?

It would be a chance to also see Comet R1 Lovejoy about 20-30 deg away from Comet Ison, with Comet Lovejoy probably at mag 5-6. Plus lots of meteors.
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Re: Comet Ison and Geminids- Thailand trip in December

Post by xayen »

I have a farm outside of Chiangmai, If anyone is interested for viewing Comet Ison
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