Comet Mc Naught

All,


As Dave mentioned I got the loan of the 12" club Dob, Dave came out last week to collimate it and add a finder scope to it. My son and I are only new to astronomy (with the club about 10 months). We [my son and I] were out on Sat night, and we saw mars, the Pleiades (M45), Hyades(I think that its name), andromeda galaxy (M31) and the Orion nebula (M45). We were wrecked after all that.

I am mad to see a comet (and everything else out there). I noticed from finder charts on the web that the comet is very low down in the south, but I am not sure physically how low in the sky it is ?? what is the best time to look for it (I persume as soon as it gets dark) ?? I can see venus quite well as it is above the houses, where is it with reference to venus ???


Martin,
Have you managed to spot it yet ???

High Mark. I have not spotted it yet due to clouds or murk in that very area. At dusk it is located above a neighbours roof top then quickly sets below it so i have a small window to observe it with the 8". Other obstructions block it from the 16" also but on the positive side it is getting slowly higher and brighter with time.

If it stays clear this evening i will give it another go. Try immediately at dusk in the evening twilight. As the sky darkens and your dark adaption improves you will be better equipped to find it. the longer you leave it then the more Capricornus will sink into the bad atmosphere near the horizon. I have to battle with neighbours securtiy lights, town lights, chimney smoke, murk etc which is ironic because overhead i can see mag 7 stars on a good night lol.

Its nice to get a comet in the sky again, the last one i observed was 9P/Temple early in the year so i am thirsty for another. The comet is to the upper left (NE) of Venus and well placed from 17.30 onwards.

Good luck with your search.