I saw the comet!

[The Warthog]

God and I can be buds again! It had been fully overcast and threatening rain earlier tonight, and I sat listening to Eric Clapton and reading S@N most of the evening. Just about 11:00 I decided to go and have a look, and found that the sky was about 75% clear, with howling winds and quick moving clouds, and a bright full moon shining down. I located Perseus, and started looking for the comet, but a largish cloud moved in from the north, so I watched the moon with my left eye, while shielding my right eye for dark adaption, and when the cloud dimmed the moon, it had cleared Perseus, so I put my ancient 7x35 binoculars up, and quickly located the comet. No doubt about it. Fuzzy and yellow, and a great thrill.

Tomorrow is supposed to be clear, so I'll have to set up the Newt for a better look.

[GordonCopestake]

Nice one WH! It's not stopped raining here

[lunator]

WH

Fantastic to hear.

It is supposed to be clear here tommorrow so the 10X50 will be out

Cheers

Ian

[AndyH]

Just this minute back in.

Hurrah!!! Thanks to a break in the clouds, i spotted it, without difficulty. Lovely sight through 10x50 bincs and at 35x, through my wee mak.

Most pleased.

Andy

[The Warthog]

It is very easy to pick off. If you have a minute of clear sky, you should be able to see it.

[PaulR]

Let's hope it lasts and we get to see some sort of tail.

[The Warthog]

Set up the Newt tonight, and went out to see the comet about 10PM, when it should have cleared the big tree in my neighbour's yard. It had, but it was more difficult to find than last night, as the sky was a little less transparent. I got it nicely in the FOV at 100x, and was able to see quite a bit of detail. It didn't look as yellow as it had last night, either in my 7x50 finder or in the scope. The temperature was about 5 degrees, and there was a howling wind, so I went back inside to warm up and dig a winter coat out of the closet.

When I came back outside about midnight, the temperature was a little lower, but the wind had stopped. I went back to the comet. The nucleus was fairly sharp at the centre, and the coma to the lower side of the comet, as I saw it, appeared a little denser than elsewhere. There was a bright point about halfway from the nucleus to the 'upper' edge, but I couldn't say for sure if that was a star shining through the coma, or another nucleus. There is no hint of a tail, as far as I can see. I don't know if a star could be seen through the coma. If it's possible, tomorrow night should answer that one.

Took a quick look at the Moon. I didn't dwell on it, as when had come back in after my first look at the comet I stopped to watch the last game of the World Series. Boston won, and the world is safe again. The edge of Crisium looks like one of those Keebler elves took a bite out of the Moon, as the rim of Crisium puts the floor of the Mare completely in shadow.

Got my first look at M42, not so good as it isn't very high up, and took a look at Mars. It is its usual disappointing self, even at 160x it is a small, featureless disk, with only a hint of the polar cap. It looks like a mustard seed.

The Pleiades suffered from the lack of transparency. They weren't as glorious as usual. Still, not bad for a cold night.

[The Warthog]

And here is a crude but accurate Photo House sketch of what I saw on Saturday:

[lunator]

WH

nice report

I found out today that this comet was discovered in 1892 when it underwent a similar outburst.

It seems this comet has 'previous'

Cheers

Ian