Wednesday, July 15, 2020

A flashy sunset, but a blocked comet

The view from the summit of Alum Creek Dam in Delaware County, Ohio, shortly after sunset. It's a lofty perch up there - 106 step staircase to the top! - and offers a commanding northern view. I was here last night, in the hopes of seeing and photographing Comet NEOWISE. With magnification, it is pretty spectacular, and I've seen some stellar photos.

Things were looking good near day's end, with crystal clear skies. Alas, on the short drive up to this spot, low clouds began to scud in from the western horizon and by the time I scaled Mount Alum and summited, the cloud cover had obscured any chance of spotting the comet. A showy sunset was some consolation. And the comet should remain visible for a week or so yet, so there's still a chance.

No comments: