46P Wirtanen last night (Sun 30th Dec)

[fwm891]

Seems ages since I've had a chance to view 46P. Still bright and high overhead. I used CdC to find its location before heading out with my 10-inch dob, I couldn't detect any colour but it still presents a large round head with a tight condensation - real shame about the tail/Earth alignment.

End of next week is supposed to start getting better skies so will try again then and maybe some imaging too.

[Astralstroll]

I managed to get a view of it last night after failing to get my scope out on Christmas Eve during a break in the clouds. The conditions last night were pretty mediocre, but at least I managed to find it easily enough. Fingers crossed for more clear skies soon.

 

Dave

[David Levi]

I finally managed to view this comet last night. It was in the constellation Lynx roughly halfway between the stars 24 Lyn and 15 Lyn. I was surprised how large it was at 31x magnification but also surprised to see how diffuse it is. It was a challenging spot in my 6 x 30 finderscope.

[jock1958]

11 minutes ago, David Levi said:

I finally managed to view this comet last night. It was in the constellation Lynx roughly halfway between the stars 24 Lyn and 15 Lyn. I was surprised how large it was at 31x magnification but also surprised to see how diffuse it is. It was a challenging spot in my 6 x 30 finderscope.

Was out last night for the first time in ages and top of my list was 46P, unfortunately clouds stopped play ?  Pardon my ignorance but where are stars 24 Lyn & 15 Lyn in Lynx?  checked my Sky & Telescope pocket atlas and couldn't find them ?

[David Levi]

5 minutes ago, jock1958 said:

where are stars 24 Lyn & 15 Lyn in Lynx?  checked my Sky & Telescope pocket atlas and couldn't find them

Page 21 (or 23) of the Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas. 15 Lyn is marked as the double star OΣ 159 (roughly RA 7h, Dec 58°) and 24 Lyn is on the same page marked as 24 off to the left of it at roughly the same declination with an RA of about 7h 40min. 

[jock1958]

20 minutes ago, David Levi said:

Page 21 (or 23) of the Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas. 15 Lyn is marked as the double star OΣ 159 (roughly RA 7h, Dec 58°) and 24 Lyn is on the same page marked as 24 off to the left of it at roughly the same declination with an RA of about 7h 40min. 

Thanks for that David. Whenever the clouds clear where I live I fear 46P will be long gone ?

[David Levi]

@jock1958 no problem. We have had a very poor run of weather in South Wales but it's supposed to be clear tonight and tomorrow night, so if you have the chance to observe then good luck with the hunt.