Opportunity for observing a comet during eclipse

This could be a great catch for those watching the total exlipse:

From the Minor Planet Mail List

Hi All,

Earlier today, SOHO comet hunter Hua Su discovered a Kreutz comet in the C3 wide field images that will not reach perihelion until after the end of tomorrow's total eclipse. This is great news for those lucky enough to be in the path of totality: a rare opportunity to see a sungrazing comet from the ground!

I estimate the comet will be about 2 degrees to the southwest of the sun (opposite side from Mercury) during totality, and based on the first 9 positions reported by Karl Battams to Brian Marsden, Brian estimates perihelion at around Aug 1.66 UT.

It's not a particularly bright comet, but it will brighten over the next 18 hours and should be visible in binoculars during totality. Hopefully a few observers will have clear skies and be able to record ground-based images of the sungrazer in the same field of view as the corona -- it should make for a very rare and aesthetically pleasing image worthy of the front cover of Sky & Telescope or Astronomy Magazine.

Hi,

Just note to eclipse chasers. Do not devote much time trying to catch this comet. Searching with binoculars will take precious time during the ~2 minutes of totality. For comparison Mercury will be mag -1.7.

The sky during totality never gets anything like totally dark, more like a twilight. To the naked-eye even 1st magnitude stars are not obvious. During seven totalities the only star I have seen is Sirius.

I am sure somebody will observe and image this 5th mag object. Roland Christen got a photograph 3rd magnitude Epsilon during the 1991 Eclipse.

clear skies,

John

I didn't see any comet to be honest. I only saw Mercury and Venus, both of which were visible shortly before first contact. The camera picked up one or two fainter stars but that's about all.
2+minutes is waaayy too short to do much looking with binos etc.