I had yet another great session last night even though i am currently dying with the cold. I set up the 16" and 8.5" dobsonians side by side until the clouds broke and revealed a pretty good clear sky that stayed that way for the remainder of the night. With the 8.5 " i searched for comets in the late evening twilight and picked up M35. CrB had now climbed high into the eastern sky well placed out of any horizon murk so i turned my attention to the 'string of pearls' comet that is rapidly moving east ward as it approachs both the Earth and the sun.
01.10
I swept up fragment C very quickly located between RCrB and Hercules. This is a beautiful comet! The coma is tiny, compact, well condensed and of a parabolic shape on the sunward side. In the middle was a bright stellar central condensation with a slender spine 3' long running into the tail. The dust tail itself is broad and i detected it for 25 - 30' long pointing to the SW. The first 15' of tail is easy to see but the remainder needed averted vision for its full detection. I also glimpsed several streamers. This comet is looking very healthy. Mag: 7.5 Dia: 2' D.C: 7
00.56
WOW!!!! I couldnt believe my eyes when i swept up fragment B. 3 Nights ago it was a faint diffuse object with barely any CC within the coma however tonight a transformation had taken place. This comet is suffering from a bright ourburst!! The central condensation is a brillant white stellar object with diameter! The coma is fairly large and moderately condensed with a bright dust tail 15' long pointing SW. This is a very exciting fragment. I spent alot of time observing and sketching both comets.
At 02.00 i seen a fantastic Irdium flare in the south that cast shadows!! From 03.00 - 04.30 i searched for new comets in the pre dawn sky with the 16" and swept up NGC7006, 6934, 6760, M9 and M19. With the 8.5" dob i continued comet hunting within the the very bright morning twilight close to the sun from a strategic point the 16" cannot get to. Seen some good Lyrid activity. Great session!
Martin Mc Kenna
coruscations attending the whole length of the luminosity, giving to the phenomena the aspect of a wrathful messenger, and not that of a tranquil body pursuing a harmless course..comet of 1680
  