August 20, 2015: Second stab at C/2014 F4 Jacques

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Just had the scope outside under imperfect but better than yesterday. I started hunting Jacques where I thought I found it yesterday, and to my relief I could not find it in the location where I spotted a very faint smudge yesterday. I tried many times, tapping the scope, using all the tricks I know for galaxy hunting, but nothing. Good! Whatever it was must have moved. I then moved to the location on the Comet Chasing chart indicated for today. After a few misreadings of the map, and frustrating searches in the rich star field, I suddenly spotted a little smudge in just the right position. Again, very hard, very difficult, and definitely averted vision, but a little smudge appeared in the right spot four or five times. I then lost it briefly, but after a short breather, I made a second series of attempts and found the smudge again, three or four times in a row. I think I can now safely call it a bagged comet. I then had a brief look at M57 and M17, and packed the kit in.

A wee tot of Talisker will be raised to celebrate

[Lewis Mark Williams]

Excellent report ! Im literally waiting for the cloud to kindly do one to view it ! Totally pouring down tonight !

Let us know how you get on

[Ccolvin968]

Congrats on the spot! I was just out tonight under perfect, crystal clear skies. I did everything except comet hunting. I believe Jacques is out of the question for me in my 127mm scope. I'll be cured of that soon enough next week once my 10 in Dob gets here. Hopefully I'll be as lucky as you were!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Congrats on the spot! I was just out tonight under perfect, crystal clear skies. I did everything except comet hunting. I believe Jacques is out of the question for me in my 127mm scope. I'll be cured of that soon enough next week once my 10 in Dob gets here. Hopefully I'll be as lucky as you were!

Jacques is a tricky beast. I think conditions are more important than aperture in these cases. I know some seasoned observers found it small and faint in a 16" Dob (don't know sky conditions), but I have spotted fairly faint galaxies with the greatest difficulties under the conditions I had yesterday, yet they jumped out at me under really dark skies. Best of luck with the 10"

[YKSE]

Nice dedicated work! Sky condition is surely very important. I spotted Jacques in direct vision the other night under 20.8 Sky, it was a lot easier than many mag 12 galaxies.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice dedicated work! Sky condition is surely very important. I spotted Jacques in direct vision the other night under 20.8 Sky, it was a lot easier than many mag 12 galaxies.

It should be, but under slightly hazy and not quite dark skies it is a real challenge

[laudropb]

Congratulations on your excellent capture. Still totally clouded out here.

[damnut]

Hi Michael,

Great report as always, Congrats on the comet spot.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Thanks guys!

[John]

Well done Michael

There is something very satisying about tracking down an ellusive object like that. It's difficult to explain to a non-astronomer but we all know why you are chuffed