Anybody See Comet NEAT Yet?

Saw NEAT last night.
Very close to the Beehive and much brighter.
Had a faint tail about 1 deg long.
Tried to find it with the naked eye - I'm 80% sure I saw it but it was very difficult. I'd be very surprised if anyone could see the tail with the maked eye.
I looked at it with both my binos and 4.5" reflector. Both gave a very nice view of it, but, as Shane pointed out, it's certainly no Hale-Bopp.

Michael

Hi,

I saw NEAT last night too, near the Beehive at around 23:35hrs last night. Where I live, I spotted it, I must say, quite easily, with the naked eye. No tail was visible until I got it in binoculars though ( -> Michael).
Also saw a BRILLIANT Iridium flare that lasted about 13 seconds (at 23:39hrs), which I believe is unusual mostly (for such a long duration). Heavens-above says it was 56, and was quite close to my location for maximum brightness.
I have to say, while I saw Jupiter splendidly in the binoculars (8-24 X 50's), I saw no Galilean moons. I think this is the first time I haven't seen them against such a clear bright disk. Either they were all hidden from direct view, or the slight atmospheric haze knocked them out of view.

Seanie.

I saw it tonight. A smudge with a bright centre. Slight if any tail, Lovely in my new Lidl binoculars. Easy to find above Beehive and my first comet since starting taking this hobby serious.

Have to agree about the reference to Hale-Bopp as I remember looking at that in awe in the centre of London tru some of the worst light polluted skies in Europe night after night. :shock:

Saw it tonight through lots of light pollution and a haze. Only occasionally saw Iota Cancri unaided. Though NEAT was easy in binoculars. Small unimpressive smudge.

Cheers,
~Al

Got lovely views of comet NEAT last night (Sunday 16/05/04) from Cloon wood. The nucleus was very bright, and we could make out a short but well fanned out tail. Gordon Nason was even able to observe the real-time motion of the comet through space :!: - the relative positions of the comet's nucleus and a nearby star were seen to have changed significantly over the course of the evening, giving a good idea of how quickly the comet is racing up into the northern sky.

Saw it tonight through lots of light pollution and a haze. Only occasionally saw Iota Cancri unaided. Though NEAT was easy in binoculars. Small unimpressive smudge.

Cheers,
~Al

albert,
exactly my impression of it. i tried from my backyard here in finglas and it too me half and hour to find it having never seen it before. most of the time though was for dark adaption and the lights in the houses going on and off did not help. this comet at the moment is definitely no hale bopp. the haze and the light pollution turn it into a faint smudge. couldn't see any stars in that area of the sky.
stephen.