Viewing a Comet and the Geminids

[Mark at Beaufort]

I was awake at 4.20am and noticed that the sky was clear. I was aware that Comet Lovejoy would be close to the Keystone in Hercules so I grabbed the 15x70 and went outside.

Comet Lovejoy was easy to find being so close to Zeta Hercules and I estimate that it was magnitude 5. I could detect a faint tail. It was nice to switch between the Comet and M13 to try and compare magnitudes.

Whilst viewing I had the other pleasure of seeing the Geminids and over the course of an hour saw about 15 meteors some very bright.

Feeling lucky I decided to view Comet Linear (C/2012 X1) which is situated in Serpens Caput close to Tau4. Unfortunately I could not detect it possibly because a thin high cloud started to move over the area and by 5.30am I was clouded out.

Anyway great to get the Geminids and a nice comet on the same night.

[Andy_E]

The Geminids were great last night weren't they. Managed to catch one impressive fireball as well!

[Pete Presland]

it certainly made the early start well worth it. i was out for around  an hour must have senn at 50 Geminids and Lovejoy. only managed to capture 1 Geminid on the camera though, 30 seconds before i pointed the camera at Hercules/Lovejoy a spectacular Geminid went right through the keystone!

[JessicaFaye]

I was also fortunate to see the Geminids too! My first ever meteor shower, beautiful!