Comet Visible to Naked Eye From Dark Locations, Binoculars Offer Better Views
Comet 46P/Wirtanen has brightened to the point where it is now visible in the night sky to anyone with a reasonably dark sky away from the light pollution of city lights. Our problem will be a lack of clear skies until early Monday morning, then we will have a few days of clear skies at night before several days of cloudiness return.
For those who have no intention of trying to see it in the sky or cannot see it due to clouds, the Virtual telescope Project has an event scheduled on their Youtube Channel. [LINK] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT1ramHk6l0
Earth Sky has a reasonable article for novices to help locate the comet. [LINK]
For the more technically proficient (and those with computerized telescopes) the orbital elements and light curves are on Seiichi Yoshida's page for 46P/Wirtanen [LINK]
More sources of information:
Wikipedia [LINK] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/46P/Wirtanen
IAU Minor Planet Center via the Internet Archive [LINK]
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Outlook
Drier air associated with broad high pressure will spread over the region today and tomorrow and linger through midweek. Another low-pressure system is then expected to develop to our west and bring widespread precipitation to the region for Thursday and Friday.
THREE DAY GFS FORECAST
This animated image shows a forecast of precipitation, air pressure and thickness level (cold-air damming) for three days in six-hour increments.
Green, Yellow, and Red indicate rain. Orange and Purple Indicate Freezing Rain or other freezing precipitation. Blue indicates snow.
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Weather Hazards
Hazardous weather is not expected today.
WEATHER FORECAST MAPS
Forecast maps for 7 am, 1 pm, and 7 pm.
[click on any image in this article to enlarge]
FRANKLIN AREA FORECAST
Today
Mostly cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near the upper 50s. Winds out of the northwest 3 to 8 mph.
Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around freezing. Winds out of the northwest 3 to 5 mph.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 55. Calm winds.
Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around freezing. Calm winds.
Wednesday
Partly sunny, with a high near the low-to-mid 50s.
Wednesday Night
A 50 percent chance of rain after 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low in the mid-to-upper 30s.
OTTO AREA FORECAST
Today
Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high in the upper 50s. Winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around freezing. Winds out of the northwest around 5 mph.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 55. Calm winds.
Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around freezing. Calm winds.
Wednesday
Partly sunny, with a high near 50.
Wednesday Night
Rain likely, mainly after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low in the upper 30s. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
HIGHLANDS PLATEAU FORECAST
Today
Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 50. Winds out of the northwest around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around 35. Winds out of the north 5 to 10 mph shifting to come out of the west after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near the upper 40s. Winds out of the northwest around 5 mph becoming light and variable in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around freezing. Calm winds shifting to come out of the southwest around 5 mph after midnight.
Wednesday
Partly sunny, with a high near 45.
Wednesday Night
Rain likely, mainly after 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low near the mid-to-upper 30s. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
NANTAHALA AREA FORECAST
Today
Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 50. Winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around freezing. Winds out of the north 3 to 6 mph.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near the lower 50s. Winds out of the northwest around 5 mph becoming light and variable in the morning.
Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around freezing. Winds out of the south around 5 mph.
Wednesday
Partly sunny, with a high near 50.
Wednesday Night
Rain likely, mainly after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the upper 30s. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Macon County Almanac for December 16, 2018
Highest Temperature 75°F in Highlands in 1924
Lowest Temperature 1°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1943
Greatest Rainfall 2.79 inches at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1992
Greatest Snowfall 2.0 inches in Franklin in 1882
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Published at 2:25 am on December 17, 2018
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