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Observing Comet 46P

souls33k3r

By souls33k3r
in Observing - Discussion

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Helen

Helen

Posted
Posted

I use Cartes du ceil.  It is very easy to update/install all comets - it just downloads all latest details in a file from MPC and its done ?

Helen (who wishes she didn't live in cloudy Wales as she hasn't seen comet from home yet.  But who was able to see it with a class of excited 10 year olds using 2m telescope in Australia yesterday morning ??)

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Stu

Stu

Posted
Posted
14 minutes ago, Ibbo! said:

Steve also failed to spot 46p last night as Friday night is weekly torture night (shopping trip) and by the time we got back it was raining.

There is just something fundamentally wrong with a sentence that contains both Friday night and shopping ? ?

I popped out for a while with the 10x50s last night but the sky was quite milky and I had no luck finding it.

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Ibbo!

Ibbo!

Posted
Posted
10 minutes ago, Stu said:

There is just something fundamentally wrong with a sentence that contains both Friday night and shopping ? ?

I popped out for a while with the 10x50s last night but the sky was quite milky and I had no luck finding it.

I would have agreed with you a few years ago but as I have aged my tolerance to supermarkets has dwindled. we have found Friday night is the quietest except when it is shut, yes we discovered it was not 24 hours.

Note to self read the instructions and note the opening times.

 

Back on topic Sunday looks like my next chance.

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Stu

Stu

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, clarkpm4242 said:

Naked eye object from Swaledale this evening.

Appears as a fuzzy patch 'attached' to a nearby mag. 5 star.

Paul

Paul, is this position accurate? Haven't been able to spot it from my site.

Screenshot_20181209-214954_SkySafari 6 Pro.jpg

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mcrowle

mcrowle

Posted
Posted

Delighted to be able to see it with the naked eye here in Cornwall, too!

I viewed Wirtanen for a good while via 7 x 50 binoculars, while imaging with a 300mm lens, before patchy cloud moved in around 9:30pm. Also saw 2 bright early Geminids, one about mag. -2 that traversed half the sky. Wonderful!

Regards, Mike.
 

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John

John

Posted
Posted

I've just been observing 46P with 11x70 and 8x30 binoculars here in a decent break in the clouds.

I reckon it's approaching naked eye visibility here but it does not seem quite there yet - I'm trying to avoid "averted imagination" here !

Very clear and extensive with 11x70's. Much more subtle but there when you know where with the 8x30's.

Brighter than my past observations though and a good sight having just crossed into Cetus now.

 

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PhotoGav

PhotoGav

Posted
Posted

Managed to see the comet again this evening, firstly in binoculars - it was easy to spot as a fuzzy patch below Menkar - and then in the 10" refractor - this gave a great view and there was a definite suggestion of a tail with averted vision. I tried imaging it widefield with a DSLR, though there was a lot of passing cloud. I hope to post something up tomorrow, but the obvious thing when reviewing the images on camera was the green tinge to the comet. Shame the forecast is so rubbish in Wiltshire for the rest of this week...

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Peter Drew

Peter Drew

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Just in from a session on 46P. Found quite easily in 15x70;s depite not knowing its exact position. Found it again in the 80mm finder on the  20" Dob. In the 20" itself it was surprising that the comet didn't look significantly brighter, probably due to the higher magnification. The comet virtually filled the field of view, there was the suspicion of a tail but suspicians don't count.   ?

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paulastro

paulastro

Posted
Posted
Picked up 46P in 10x50s at 8.10 pm.  Then used David Levy 152mm  Mak-Newt  and then the 72ED.  View better as went up in aperture.  It was a bit murky lower down so not as good as it should be on 16th/17th when it’s closest to the Pleiades.  Difficult to tell the mag or the exact size as it its’ edge and extent was ill-defined in the less than ideal conditions as they worsened.  Still, nice to see it – a bit of variation and structure in the Mak-Newt, looked quite nice.  Packed up around 9.50pm when I noticed all three instruments had started to mist over!
 
Easy to find following a line down from Menkar (easy seen with NE) in Cetus, it was quite close to 94 Cet.
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Helen

Helen

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Just about managed it with the 10x30 Canon IS binos - but the transparency is not good here tonight, lots of cloud at all levels

But I've seen and imaged it, so not too disappointed now that is has completely clouded over again ?

Helen

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Chinapig

Chinapig

Posted
Posted

After a few fruitless attempts over the last week or so, I found 46P tonight for the first time, using 10x50s to sweep the area down a bit and left a bit from Menkar.  A vague splodge with soft edges sprang into view.  Phew - that's it!  Delighted...  Upped the glass ante with 15x70s, tripod mounted with a trigger grip, and had a long, lingering look, thoroughly enjoying the sight.  Having found the comet, I'd planned to try some imaging, but clouds decided it was bedtime...

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festoon

festoon

Posted
Posted

Managed to find 46P last with my 12x70 bins last night. Was fussy patch just below Menkar. Was surprised it didnt take me too long to find...so excitedly I set up my portable EAA kit and with a quick 3 star align, and voila.....within 5 mins I had it on screen....Took some stacked images in B/W which I'll append onto this post later. Very nice to see and some signs of a tail on screen. My only regret is I didn't switch to colour mode on the camera to see if I could pick up any hints of colour. If I get another chance I'll definitely do this :)

46p.png.98cbb69243880cfd7e187705ae8dbae8.png

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