New Comet

Analoguesat

Analoguesat

Administrator
Staff member
My Satellite Setup
TM 5402HD
Sky+ UK.
My Location
Scottish Borders
If you are lucky enough to have dark skies, have a look to see if you can find Comet Machholz.

Should be just about naked eye visibility at the moment, and climbing into the south eastern sky over the next few weeks. Its a one off opportunity - its on a 100,000 year orbit!

Details here (complete with location map)

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/comet_machholz_041207.html
 
One would have to be exceedingly lucky to see this comet in the UK as its currently quite a few radians below from the horizon but is steadily moving North. When it does appear the moon is going to be a major obstacle as well.
 
And one of the first pictures of the comet
 
I think Ive seen it tonight - but its bloody faint. With binocs, no chance of naked eye with the moon out. (First clear night we have had for over a week.)
 
Just slightly North of Rigel , and to the right, the full moon does make it difficult though

Moving up to the same elevation as Betelgeuse next week.
 
It was easy to see at 11pm last night with binoculars. :) I could just see it with the naked eye as well. Id say it was about mag 5

It was below and to the right of the "V" in Taurus. The moon had only just risen in the east, and was almost completely hidden behind a bank of cloud.
 
Its now an easy naked eye object if you know where to look. Not very impressive though - its just a hazy smudge.
 
Analoguesat said:
Its now an easy naked eye object if you know where to look. Not very impressive though - its just a hazy smudge.
Click to expand...


Agreed - not the site of the year at all

Right up above us and moving towards Casseopia this week, but in this region, scattered light from everything around us blocks out even the outline of the Milky way.
 
I forget Im lucky - the nearest street lights are almost 2 miles away here! :D
 
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