Comet Garrad at last

[Stargazer51N]

Hi all,

I've been trying to bag comet Garradd with my 15x70 bins for over a month with no luck. Also tried using my SLT 102 scope but could't track it down. Yesterday I made up a lead so that I could connect an old laptop to my scope and try using Cartes du Ziel to guide the scope to the comet. Got the scope working with the laptop ok and decided to try it out tonight. Then I realised it was full moon and that the comet would probably be washed out. I decided to have a go at the moon with my DSLR instead and while I had it all set up I thought it wouldn't hurt to use the laptop to guide me to Garradd and take a long exposure shot to see what came out. I was pleasantly surprised to see it pop up on the screen after the exposure. I took a few shots and then popped a 9mm eyepiece in the scope. After a few minutes I was able to locate the comet using the stars on the photo I had taken as a guide. I was just able to make out the comet with averted vision - at last. Now having seen it in my scope I realise that it would be nigh on impossible from my location with binoculars due to light pollution. If it wasn't for the laptop and the photo I would not have been able to locate it.

[Pete Presland]

well done, its been a tricky target ever since it arrived, not as easy as its magnitude would suggest.