astronomy - comet hyakutake - off topic

[Bryan Irby]

For those mailing lists this is going to, sorry for the off topic
message, but as an astronomer (in a time when public support for the
sciences is iffy at best) I feel the duty (and have been directed by my
superiors) to inform as many people as possible about the Comet Hyakutake
close approach to earth on monday.  I won't waste lots of space here
with details, but it's going to be big and bright, and moving fast
(enough to see it move) over the next few days, with max brightness
(and size and speed) on monday.  It will be visible pretty much all
night from the northern hemisphere starting sunday, and going through
the end of april.  It's moving pretty much due north (towards the pole
star) to the east of the big dipper.

Perhaps you've already heard about it, but if not, you should definitely
check it out.  See your local observatory/planetarium/astronomy club
or whatever to maybe get in on use of larger telescopes, but you can
see it quite well with the naked eye or binoculars.  It now has a tail
about 5 or so degrees wide, which will be increasing as it approaches the
sun.

There are undoubtedly various internet sites which can provide you with
more info if needed, but also feel free to email me.

Good luck.

-Bryan Irby
 irby at crux.astr.ua.edu

 Oh yeah, and there's also a lunar eclipse in two weeks.