Idaho Skies Transcript for September 14th, 15th, and 16th

PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for September 14th, 15th, and 16th. We’re your hosts, Paul…

RACHEL
…and Rachel.

PAUL
Night owls, get your binoculars out!

RACHEL
Because there’s a comet you might be able to see.

PAUL
The comet’s name is Giacobini-Zinner.

RACHEL
And it was discovered 118 years ago this December

PAUL
Comet Giacobini-Zinner orbits the sun once every 6.6 years.

RACHEL
Its path takes beyond Jupiter…

PAUL
… and just outside Earth’s orbit.

RACHEL
And this year it reaches its closest point to the sun when Earth is nearby.

PAUL
Which means it should be bright enough to see through binoculars.

RACHEL
Best of, it will appear very close to the bright star Capella on the morning of the 15th.

PAUL
So even if you can’t see the comet without optical aid, you’ll still know where to point your binoculars.

RACHEL
Now your chances of seeing the comet are better if you get out of town to make this observation.

PAUL
After arriving at a dark location, look in the low northeast for the brightest star.

RACHEL
That star is Capella, the brightest star of the pentagon-shaped Auriga.

PAUL
Point your binoculars at this star and look just to its lower left.

RACHEL
The distance between Capella and Giacobini-Zinner is 1.5 degrees.

PAUL
Or about 1/6th the distance across your binoculars’ field of view.

RACHEL
The comet will appear as a hazy disk that might appear elongated slightly to the upper right.

PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 14th, 15th, and 16th of September.

RACHEL
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @IdahoSkies for this week’s event reminders and sky maps.

For Idaho Skies this is Rachel…

PAUL
…and Paul.

RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.