Joe Heller for February 02, 2023

Is there a visible comet right now?

I’m with the “meh” crowd. I ‘spect that the paleolithic people had a much more interested relationship to sky stuff than I do. Partly because I’ve been almost unable to see stars through my cataracts until this week. Partly because it’s cloudy around here a lot of the time, and in any case there are trees and mountains in the way. (Gee, what a terrible place I must live, eh? /s)… and partly because I feel like I really do understand how much real connection there is between my life and the stuff in the sky (pretty near nothing).

Its overcast, I can’t see it. Guess I’ll have to wait another 40,000 years.

Probably next time no one will see it. The one thing our species is best at is consigning ourselves to oblivion.

Around her, DC area, if you can see 15-20 stars you’re doing well.

Those folks on the left worked their butts off to stay alive. Put in the same situation today, 99+% of people would starve to death within a month.

The comet is keeping its distance from earth on this pass. It probably heard about those fearsome Jewish Space Lasers. . . . /s

Of course they were more interested in the sky back then, after all there was nothing on TV.

Showing that humans are a dead branch on the evolutionary tree,

This “Green Comet” has been zipping through our Solar System for the last 50,000 yrs. Having traveled from the icy reaches at the edge of our Solar System. The Comet has an orbit around the sun that passes through the outer reaches of the Solar System, which is why it’s taken such a long route – and a long time to swing by earth again. According to Astronomers. Imagine what this Comet has seen in the last 50,000 yrs, zipping through our Solar System. Better yet, hitching a ride on this Comet zipping through and around our Solar System! That’s a Time Travel ride for the ages. " ASTONISHING!"

How many humans missed the lunar eclipse of Mars this week? A very rare event you will not see again in your lifetime. Mars went behind the half moon and emerged out the other side hours later. All viewable with the naked eye but binoculars made it better, looking like Mars was resting on the dark half surface of the Moon before disappearing behind.

Neanderthals hunted enormous elephants that fed 100 people for a monthThe extinct straight-tusked elephant was even larger than modern African elephants, making it unclear if Neanderthal hunters could take one down, but a newly analysed trove of bones suggests it was possible

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357553-neanderthals-hunted-enormous-elephants-that-fed-100-people-for-a-month/

A 50,000-year-old piece of string hints at Neanderthal intelligence, scientists sayA tiny fragment adds to growing evidence that humanity’s early cousins were smarter than previously thought. -

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/50-000-year-old-piece-string-hints-neanderthal-intelligence-scientists-n1179946

The “Stoned” Age.

Wrong. Pretty much every culture before modern high-teck ‘civilization’ paid (and pay) more attention too, and were (and are) far more familiar with the night sky than your average current person, especially those who live in the city. As pointed out by others there are many reasons.

Thanks to those who posted links.