Comet due to appear in the night sky
KEEP your eyes on Crawley's skies this weekend – not for UFOs –but for a close encounter of the comet kind.
Peter Stanley from the Crawley Astronomy Society, said the comet Perseid, which passes over this time every year, is due to appear between 10pm Saturday evening and 2am Sunday.
He said: "This particular comet passes over around August 12 every year. I thought I would contact you because I was reading you're UFO story and I thought people in the town might be interested in seeing the comet for themselves.
"And the great thing is anybody can look for it, you don't need telescopes. It can be seen from the naked eye. Something you do need though is a lot of patience.
"Its best to view comets away from the lights of the town, but a garden is a good place, as long as it is dark enough and the sky isn't to cloudy.
"Also people may be able to capture the comet on camera. They need to slow the shutter speed down to around 10 to 20 seconds and they should get some decent photos. If they do I would love to see them.
"It is very rare to see a comet; some people say there is just as much chance as winning the lottery. But I do know someone who has spotted 14 in his lifetime, and so people living in Crawley are definitely in with a chance."
If you manage to snap the comet, send your photos to: matthew.gaw@sussexnewspapers.co.uk
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Weather for Lewes
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 14 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South east
