Comet Garradd - 6" Dob 110x would it be a smudge?

[uberdeveloper]

Hi

I got back into astronomy a few weeks back, after a break of about 25 yrs! Anyway I have a 6" Dob Classic SW with standard eye pieces that come with it. I have been trying to locate Garradd for a few weeks but the garden fence is quite high and Draco quite low, also the weather has been rubbish, and I live on the edge of a city so light pollution is an issue.

Last night at around midnight however I think I may seen it, I was almost certainly in the correct area of the sky and at around 110x there was a small smudge, I could not see any detail, the smudge itself was quite faint, had I not been out in the dark for an hour already I'm sure I would of missed it.

With my equipment and conditions do you think this was the comet? Or at 110x on a 6 inch dob should it of been more obvious?

Thanks very much

UD

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Garradd is a smudge even in my 8" SCT. At lower magnification you might actually do a bit better.

[lukebl]

Sounds about right. Use the lowest power possible to get the best view. 110x sounds a bit high.

[ollypenrice]

We tried it last night in the 20 inch. It was very big and round but no tails visible. It's low here so the fence and roll-off were cropping some light grasp! However a guest picked up two tails in an image.

Olly

[MjrTom]

A pair of astro binoculars are probably best for viewing this comet in my opinion.

[proflight2000]

I think it is due to reach its best around the 2nd of march when they say it can be seen with the naked eye.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I'm starting to get excited about this comet. Now if only the clouds would make like a magician, and vanish.

[gooseholla]

Shame about the moon being so bright for the next week or so... oh, and the clouds! Searched it out last night, but was too cloudy in that area. Found the star patch it was in, but didn't see it, for sure - might have seen a smudge in binos, but not sure whether it was clouds or not... or my eyes lol

[gooseholla]

Well I set about searching tonight for it in bins - thought I found it so set my scope over in that direction and the 8 inch newt. showed it as a faint fuzzy patch with a brighter core area. Not really impressive - shame the moon is up!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Well I set about searching tonight for it in bins - thought I found it so set my scope over in that direction and the 8 inch newt. showed it as a faint fuzzy patch with a brighter core area. Not really impressive - shame the moon is up!

Still, congrats on getting it!

[paul mc c]

Got it last night in the Tal 1 just a smudge then used the 12'' and to

be honest just a brighter smudge with no detail,though the nucleus was bright.

[uberdeveloper]

Hi Folks

Thanks for your resposnes to my query, since my original post I have been out a few times with scope and have managed to catch a glimpse of the smudge that is Garradd on more than one occasion.

I have been using a combination of stellarium and my dads old 8x30 b-nocs to get my self aquainted with the duller stars in the area of the target before going in with scope. Its proved quite an effective strategy.

Still its amazing to see it even if it is a smudge in my scope, my best description would be a really faint star that is impossible to focus, sometimes its just a small patch in the eyepiece thats not quite as dark as the rest of the sky. Thats from the outskirts of York.

Will try for it again tonight if the clouds hold off.

Cheers

UD

[gooseholla]

Wait until the moon is gone. When I looked through my 8 inch a week ago or so it was really quite obviously a comet.

[Zaphod360]

I saw this for the first time last night, first comet to be honest, in my 8" newt (while breaking my back on my eq mount, I was never any good at twister) it was quite a bright fuzzy blob with a clearly brighter core. A bit like a disperse planetary nebula. Not overly impressive visially, psychologically though I was chuffed to bits.