Comet P/Encke - evening twillight comet

Thanks to an e-mail reminder from Terry Moseley on this one.

Comet P/Encke is now observable low in the West after sunset. The following chart tracks its progress for the rest of the month:



As you can see, it will be seen in the evening twillight coming out of Aries, and swing back towards the sun during the month in a loop through Auriga. A nice way to start of your observing sessions perhaps? It is just out of range of naked eye visibility (c. +7 to +.

But don't let the chart fool you, it will only be visible for another 9 days or so from our latitude.

Further details can be found from here: www.skyhound.com/sh/comets.html

Seanie.

Hi,

Comet Encke is much more difficult than the magnitudes figures would suggest.

I observed the comet just after the beginning of the month and was a difficult object low in the twilight glow (I do not have my observing notebook to hand - to give the exact date). I was using a 25cm reflector. There was some thin cloud.

You really need very clear skies and catch it at the right time,

John