Comet C/2015 V2 Johnson

[mwayne]

Heads up for this comet, I've been watching it the last few mornings as it is close to zenith as dawn breaks. Looks quite elongated, like an edge on galaxy of about 10th magnitude.

 https://theskylive.com/c2015v2-info

[Davey-T]

Tried to spot it a few times but it's been lurking in the local light pollution.

Dave

[andrew63]

Thanks for the info. I've been looking for the last month but no joy.  

 

andrew

[spike95609]

Nice to know that it's there and can be seen. I've been trying to spot it for some time without success. It's in a heavily light polluted part of the sky for me at the moment, and unless I stay up into the early hours, a heavily obstructed part. Still it's getting a little brighter every day and has a long way to go before it's at its closest. I'll keep looking.

[cotterless45]

Been trying.  Very trying ! But at least I know what to look for now !

Nick

[goodricke1]

Over on the Comets mailing list, they are claiming this will be a 'stunning object' in a few months. Hmmm, time will tell.

[Guy Wells]

I

It is already an impressive comet.

[spike95609]

It's got a good chance to be impressive, looking at the graphs towards the bottom of https://theskylive.com/c2015v2-info it's not until early June that it's at its closest, and is predicted to come down to about mag 6.9, and will be in Bootes reasonably high in the midnight sky.

[Davey-T]

Well I still can't find it, definately in the right bit of sky, hopping from Nekkar, supposed to be mag 10ish but I can't see it.

Dave

[Guy Wells]

[pjsmith_6198]

I was able to see Comet Johnson in a early morning session today in Hercules.  I was using my Z10 and thought it was challenging.  It was pretty faint, but I'm confident I actually saw it.    Sky Tools 3 estimated it to be about 10.4.   That may be right because it looked like a galaxy about that magnitude from my skies.    It doesn't seem to be brightening as much predicted.   Will have to wait and see.   It will be in excellent position to view.   None of this low on the horizon during twilight.

[andrew63]

I had my first view of Comet Johnson tonight, after searching since Christmas is was good to see it ! It was much smaller and fainter than Comet 41P and of a more streamlined appearance - it was tough to observe though.  In the 4" at 31x and to confirm i changed eyepiece to 38x and the smudge remained, possibly around 9th magnitude. It's well placed in Hercules.

 

andrew

[spike95609]

I also got my first glimpse of Comet Johnson after many months of trying - I've been living under permacloud for the last two months and haven't had the scope out once since mid-January! It wasn't brilliantly obvious in the eyepiece, and not helped by being in a pretty light polluted part of my sky at the moment, but it was definitely there, and it was great to see it after all the searching. It's got until June before its at its closest, by which time it will be brighter and better placed for me, so I'll keep checking. Hopefully I'll be able to get my bins on it eventually.

I got 41P too. A much more obvious spot.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Managed to bag it in Hercules with the C8. Small patch of fuzz, but very distinct once spotted. Second new comet of the night, bringing my total to 17

[rockystar]

Got them both on my list for this evening, so hopefully I will get them  bring my total to 3!

Sky Tools 3 now has it at Mag 8.6 (and 41p at 7.1)

[bejay1957]

Tried with my 20x80 binocs, but despite following skylive guides could not pick out Johnson

[goodricke1]

Perfect skies last night allowed a nice view of this comet through the SE8, estimated mag of 9.5 and with an appreciable tail making it look like the real thing. Probably a more visually appealing sight than the diffuse nebulous mass that is 41P, and still 3 months from its peak. 

[John]

Got it tonight under far from perfect skies

Quite hard to find with my ED120 but got there eventually. Certainly seemed an elongated shape, more so with averted vision.

 

[Scosmico]

10 hours ago, John said:

Got it tonight under far from perfect skies

Quite hard to find with my ED120 but got there eventually. Certainly seemed an elongated shape, more so with averted vision.

 

Would say the "t" word?

[andrew63]

Had another view of Johnson tonight, clear but not very transparent. It was brighter than a few weeks ago but not much to see at x31 and x50.  Looked at 41P which was even more of a diffused blob at 31x

andrew

[mwayne]

Having first located this comet in the telescope this evening I was able to then find it with 7x50s, but just barely. The scattered cirrus clouds made it difficult however.

[Ouroboros]

I could just about make out the comet as a faint fuzzy on the evening of the 22 April both through my bins and my ED80. Imaging was more successful.  Worth following this comet over the next couple of months, and I might have another go at imaging it. 

[John]

It's looking quite nice tonight at around magnitude 7.6, viewed with my 130mm refractor. I can't see it in the 50mm finder though, at least not definitely.

 

[ericemms]

a popular target at AstroCamp, Brecon Beacons last weekend. Great view on Apr 24: bulbous tail just visible through my 3" WOGT81 x24.

[andrew63]

The comet is looking good tonight - the best view so far i think. It's just about dark and at 38x with averted version the elongation is getting more apparent.  Lovely clear night here.

 

andrew