Comet Garradd

[stevetynant]

excuse the spelling - but has anyone had any luck observing it yet?

I tried last night from my back garden which is a frustrating experience due to the trees and light pollution but if the clouds stay away might drive the 40 odd miles to a dark sky site to have another go this evening

[StuW]

I caught it on Tues, but it was right on the limit of my averted vision in an Explorer 200p and 24mm EP. 15 seconds exposure with the SPC900 gave a better view tho..

[stevetynant]

Sounds like its a good capture if you can locate it then Stuw - hopefully dark skies will help tonight if we get them cloud free- would be a good one to have on my list I think - cheers

Steve

[DarkerSky]

Hope you get it Steve. The difficult bit is tracking it down in the first place. Once you've got it I reckon your 21mm, 15mm and 8mm eyepieces will yield the best views. Good luck!

[Double Kick Drum]

Steve

I caught this one on the weekend. Supposedly rated at magnitude 6.5 but I found it at least one feinter than that. It looked like a lop-sided globular cluster to me.

It is just above the Plough at the moment so hopefully should be reasonably easy to locate again. I think it is meant to drop by half a magnitude by the end of the month.

Good luck with it!

[stevetynant]

thanks Guys - not sure what to do at the moment - beautiful sunny day in Newport at the moment - but cloudy on the forecast for mid Wales hmmmmm 45 mile each way hike just to sit in the car or go for it?

[Kedvenc]

Always go for it! Unless there is something else equally interesting/necessary/important for you to do. If its just watching TV I'd rather drive there and find it cloudy. At least you tried.

[magic612]

I spotted it this last weekend with 10x50 binoculars.

[JB80]

I spotted it ages ago as it was passing the coathanger, am I right in thinking it's coming up on Ursa Major now?

[magic612]

I spotted it ages ago as it was passing the coathanger, am I right in thinking it's coming up on Ursa Major now?

That's correct - I saw it near M71 last summer. Right now it is near the "pointers" in Ursa Major (very close to Dubhe).

Fast forward to the 3:00 minute mark in this video for more:

[Moonshane]

this map seems good http://cometchasing.skyhound.com/comets/2009_P1.pdf

[swamp thing]

Saw it again last night. I've observed it in quite a few scopes now.

We had a first to spot it comp last night.

I lost. an observing buddy found it first in his 4" frac.

Regards Steve

[malc-c]

Couldn't see it visually, but managed to photograph it a couple of nights ago. - 1st ever comet picture

[lukebl]

I managed to see it last night with 10 x 50 binoculars here in suburbia, so it's not too difficult. Mind you, it was nearly overhead at the time.

[stevetynant]

if you can see it Binos - time to have another go tonight