question regarding Panstarrs

[ScottT]

So I am still trying to catch a glimpse of this comet, looking at its position now in Stellarium I can see it should be fairly high up towards Cass.

If I look for it after dark, around 9pm with my scope , would I still be able to see the tail? , or would it look more like a star?

thanks,

[ronl]

Panstarrs is getting fainter but you can still see the tail, its short but quite wide.

I saw it four days ago, before that five nights on the trot, with reasonable sky's,

but since the last time all I have seen are clouds.

Happy hunting and Clear sky's (you will need them)

[Mad Taff]

I still haven't seen it too. I just hope I get a decent clear night this month where I can give it another go. It should be higher up and in darker skies but alas much fainter. Phil

[LukeSkywatcher]

It is proving more elusive to me then Holmes was. I blame the clouds. At least when i did finally spot Holmes, it was very high up (almost overhead) and it was back when the night skies were cloud free.

The silver lining for me though is that i did see Hale-Bopp, and to be honest every other comet since then has failed in comparison.

[ScottT]

Have tried again twice this week, still no joy, although last night there was a fair amount of light pollution and a thin layer of cloud , I could just about make out Cass with the naked eye.

Im just going to have to hope I can see it as it moves into the constellation.

Im using a 25mm EP , is that the right choice?

[northwalesparry]

Tried last night, still couldent find it.

[Davey-T]

Can't see it in 10x50 bins anymore in my LP sky , just about found it two nights ago in 88mm bins, found it best to look on Stellarium and identify a nearby star pattern then find comet.

May have to download more, fainter stars into Stellarium.

Dave

[ScottT]

Well, I think I may have cracked it last night!, I took a look at Stellarium and worked out its position , I saw that you could form a triangle using its position and the lowest two stars in Cass.

I tried the 25mm EP and thought I could see something very faint, after switching to the 10mm EP , I saw what looked like a faint smudge right in the position that it should be .

I couldnt look at it directly , but by looking slightly away from it I could see it was like a smudged star.

The seeing wasnt good last night , I had a fair amount of light pollution and I had to wait for the very fast moving clouds to oblige.

does the 'smudged star' description sound about right for a comet?

[John]

Panstarrs has looked much more "comet like" until recently but it's now lost much of it's brightness and form, at least visually. A "smudged star" is pretty much what it looks like now even at moderate powers. My last sighting of it was a couple of nights back with a 120mm refractor. It's nice to find it all the same.

[ollypenrice]

Three nights ago I was seeing a decent tail in the 8x42 bins but I have a very dark site. It was too low for the big Dob.

Olly

[valefor]

saw it a few weeks ago with a 3" newt as it went passed andromida. was quite supprised how small a scope you can get away with. its my first comet and i thought it would be harder to find.

looking forward to ison

dave

[LukeSkywatcher]

Hopefully it will be easier to find over the weekend as it is passing by Cassi. I know i can see that from my front garden, but i also have streetlights out the front and i have no LP filter for my bins. I might have to drag the Heritage out.

[valefor]

good luck. last night it was half way between shedir and caph in cassiopeia so try scanning between there towards caph.

at mag 9.5 it was really hard to see with the small scope. and i was to lazy to get the 8" out. but the camera showed it in a 20 second exposure iso 800

dave

[valefor]

sorry. that was ment to say "half way and then down a moon diamiter" they really need an edit on this forum.

[LukeSkywatcher]

good luck. last night it was half way between shedir and caph in cassiopeia so try scanning between there towards caph.

at mag 9.5 it was really hard to see with the small scope. and i was to lazy to get the 8" out. but the camera showed it in a 20 second exposure iso 800

dave

It does look better on camera. Maybe i'll set up the 450D and tripod over the next couple of nights and try to do some widefield imaging and maybe i might catch it.........rather then visual work.

[valefor]

here is what i got last night. stacked but unprosessed.

100x 10second exposures iso800 stacked in dss

[LukeSkywatcher]

100x 10second exposures iso800 stacked in dss

That's what i would be aiming to image it with. I'd do a bit of BASIC processing to darken the sky without losing the coment. I really think this comet is past its sell by date, but i'm still determined to catch it.

[Helicon]

I finally got to view it last night too ,very faint ,just like a smudged star as you say but still very pleased to have seen it !

[valefor]

great helicon. what setup did you use?

[cyborg421]

I saw it last night in my 10" scope. Looked very much like the picture posted by Valefor.

Simon

[Helicon]

great helicon. what setup did you use?

I've got a Konus Digimax 90 , small ,but its helped me get started ! I've had it for a year now and I love it ! ,just got a 114eq second hand and am trying to get to grips with the eq mount !! ,also in the process of saving up for a SW 200P

[valefor]

its not easy to find even in my 8" konusky 200. tho not a great scope. but i hear great things about the sw200p. although have you concidered a dob? a 200 would be cheeper. or you could get more for your money. i'e a bigger mirror or synscan.

as you got a digimax try taking a photo threw it if you have the camera. even a 10second shot would show you alot.

[mallorcasaint]

Managed to get it on the 20th. Just between Shedir and Caph in Cassiopiea. second image is LRGB.