# Newly discovered comet could outshine the moon in 2013 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 30, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606 "2012-12-30T22:12:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/21 "2013-01-01T18:24:58Z")
So wait - this is a different comet to the one I read about a few months ago, meant to be at its brightest this March. You wait ages and then two come along at once… [C/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2011_L4) ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2013, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/22 "2013-01-01T23:34:40Z")
Way to stomp on my childlike wonder,\*\* Musicat\*\*. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/23 "2013-01-02T01:59:49Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > “But there appears to be something in its way.” > > - most chilling line of an sf novel I’ve ever read. Love that book… ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/24 "2013-01-02T02:17:36Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > “But there appears to be something in its way.” > > - most chilling line of an sf novel I’ve ever read. Okay, I’m not familiar with this one. Can you tell me the book? ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/25 "2013-01-02T02:48:58Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Okay, I’m not familiar with this one. Can you tell me the book? +1 ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/26 "2013-01-02T03:02:01Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Way to stomp on my childlike wonder,\*\* Musicat\*\*. Let me [Wiki](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1_Corinthians_13) that for you. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/27 "2013-01-02T08:33:17Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Okay, I’m not familiar with this one. Can you tell me the book? Me too. I Googled that sentence, and all I got was this lousy thread. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/28 "2013-01-02T10:00:16Z")
_Lucifer’s Hammer_, Larry Niven. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/29 "2013-01-02T10:07:29Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Hey, an omen is an omen. If it appeared at the same time as a firearm of US Revolutionary vintage, would that be a Musket and Omen? ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/30 "2013-01-02T15:15:02Z")
Squee! My fingers are crossed for this one. Halley, back in my childhood, was a bust for me as I recall. This, if it is in the moon-range of brightness, should be visible even here in Manhattan–we can still see the moon here. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/31 "2013-01-02T16:06:45Z")
It might be visible in Manhatten, but trust me, even if it is, get out of town one night to go look at it. It will be like listening to a symphony on an MP3 player vs actually going to the symphony. ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/32 "2013-01-02T23:07:30Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > Squee! My fingers are crossed for this one. Halley, back in my childhood, was a bust for me as I recall. This, if it is in the moon-range of brightness, should be visible even here in Manhattan–we can still see the moon here. 😃 I think Halley’s Comet was a bust for me, too, and I did live in the sticks back then. However, Hale Bopp was pretty cool. I lived in the city (of St. Paul) by then and could see it very well with the naked eye. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/33 "2013-01-02T23:17:16Z")
Yup, Hale Bop ruled. Was that the one where all the nut cases killed themselves so they could get on the mother headed to it? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/34 "2013-01-02T23:20:32Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > The tail of [Comet West](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_West) was _huge_. What I saw with the naked eye was much more impressive than [this](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Komet_West_-_Comet_West_-_Franz_Haar.JPG). > > Now West reached -3 magnitude (~Jupiter at its brightest). The full moon is -13. No way is it going to get that bright. The most I would dream for is -8. It could be a “great comet.” The last one, in 1680 was _[visible during the day](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Comet_of_1680)_! Here’s hoping! BTW, I posted about this in October: > **[Two good comets in 2013?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=667036)** > > 2013 could be a good year for stargazers. I heard about C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS) last year. It has the potential to be a bright, easily-visible comet. Just a few hours ago, there’s a report of a new comet: C/2012 S1. The breathless reports are that it... ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/35 "2013-01-02T23:43:47Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Yup, Hale Bop ruled. Was that the one where all the nut cases killed themselves so they could get on the mother headed to it? I think so. Heaven’s Gate, I believe they were called. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/36 "2013-01-02T23:46:49Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > I think so. Heaven’s Gate, I believe they were called. I remember that name. Damn, too late to look for a big cult to all off themselves over this comet, and put them on a 2013 Death Pool list. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/37 "2013-01-03T00:11:39Z")
Hyakutake was pretty bright around then too. The two have kind of blurred in my mind. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/38 "2013-01-03T00:22:15Z")
Hya blew Hale away. But you had to be in a DARK site. And it was only really good for a few days. At its best as seen from a dark site when Hya was directly overhead the tail nearly reached the horizon. Hale Bopp wasn’t even close. Again, I cannot over emphasize the importance of finding the darkest place you can find to watch this. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/39 "2013-01-03T16:28:07Z")
How about my closet? –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606/40 "2013-01-03T16:32:48Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > How about my closet? > > –Cliffy I find two good blankets to be sufficient. Not one, mind you, because the light leaks through. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-discovered-comet-could-outshine-the-moon-in-2013/645606.md?page=3)