Anybody See Comet NEAT Yet?

Hi, just after observing Comet Neat, took some difficuly locating it, checked several comet charts and they all seemed to be incorrect, although I think they are primarly for American observers. But saw it first at 10.45 (my time!) very low down, i’d say 2 degrees above the horizon, like a fuzzy blob similar to Linear WM1, slight hint of a tail and was very close to a 3 mag star.

Lovely clear night

Ronan GAC

2 degrees above horizon !!!, no way am I going to see it here, better head up Cratleo hill on the next clear evening to get some elevation.
According the the weather forecast, this week is going to be good, worth trying then.

According the the weather forecast, this week is going to be good, worth trying then.

Yes, I'm thinking of taking a trip up to Cloon wood in Wicklow tomorrow night (or perhaps even tonight), if conditions are good. According to the data in my copy of Starry Night Backyard, NEAT will move northwards by up to 4 degrees per night during the course of the week, so the prospects for seeing it should improve considerably during the week. With the reasonably fine weather forecast, the waning moon and the comet still relatively close to the sun, this week seems to be the week to try and catch it, so have your scopes/binoculars at the ready!

Nice image from Pete Lawrence in Selsey (uk.sci.astronomy) at www.pbl33.fast24.co.uk/C2001Q4_120504.jpg

I didnt have any success seeing it the other night, ****ing light pollution in Dublin (cf www.irishastronomy.org/user_resources/fi...3-vt-photo-01-aw.jpg )

Forecast is for less cloud tomorrow so I'll try again.

Cheers,
~Al

Managed to see NEAT through my binoculars on Wednesday night through a lucky gap in the clouds. It was late twilight, so no sighting of a tail and cloud moved in quickly preventing further viewing. Looked impressive though, quite large and bright. If the weather forecast is good for this weekend then I'd be hoping to try for some naked eye viewing as well as seeing the tail.

Forecast is for less cloud tomorrow so I'll try again.

Cheers,
~Al

Not today it seems Al! dark grey clouds all over where I am (Tyrrellspass), and looks like the possibility of thunder (I hope - if it HAS to rain! I love lightning! :twisted: ).

I tried looking for NEAT last night after 10pm, it was quite clear, some wispy high-altitude cloud, but no joy. Although, I was a useless astronomer last night, because I only had a general idea of where to look for it! This comet seems to be a tricky one to interperet.... its a comet, but you HAVE to know where to look for it, as a fuzzy star, because it has no discernable tail... is this correct???

Seanie.