Spark and Perl go looking
But it is RIGHT THERE.
It was not there last time I looked, and it will not be there in a few months.
Stars cannot just leave!
This one puffs up and shrinks back, over and over, until it is far too faint to see.
How long do I have to wait?
About one birthday.
Yes, when it is up.
Put one look a month on the calendar. Over a year you will watch it brighten and fade away.
You can see this from anywhere in the world.
Where to find Mira, and when
Where the Earth is clear, it climbs high in the sky. The darker it gets, the lower it stays. Where it is black, it never comes up. No shading at all: it does not matter where you live.
What do I need to see Mira?
You can see it with just your eyes.
Binoculars with 10× magnification show it, if you rest them on a fence or a wall.
A 150 mm telescope does not make it better — this is about comparing brightness, not about magnification.
Space
Eyes, binoculars, or telescope?
Read on
Go and look