Comet 2023 H2 Lemmon

[andrew63]

I've been viewing Comet H2 this evening from around 6 p.m.  It's a bit low in the sky, in Bootes -  Alkaid gives a good guide to it's general location. I saw it more or less right away, even without dark adaption in my 4" F5 refactor x19 around 1.5 deg. above 39 Boo. In quite a dark transparent night, after all the rain, at least until the fireworks started in the distance! I upped the power to x27 which gave a slightly better view, it was diffuse, with no brightening that I could see. Looks like a globular, and I'd say it was a bit brighter than 8th magnitude.  It's moving noticeably after a short period and should brighten more in the coming days,  It's a nice comet to see.

Edited November 3, 2023 by andrew63
spell

[CentaurZ]

Here's my November-December chart for Lemmon:

Edited November 4, 2023 by CentaurZ

[andrew63]

Observing comet H2 Lemmon again tonight over the last hour. It's moved a fair way from 3 nights ago now in Hercules, so a bit better placed. It is very diffuse, like an unresolved globular and looked larger than my last view. It was again best seen at low power 19x and x27 with no tail or brightening towards the centre seen.

I was also able to view the comet in 8x42 binoculars around 18.30, just a haze in reasonably skies,  but always pleased to see a binocular comet. ☄️

I

 

 

[mcrowle]

Thanks for the reminder about this comet!

I’d intended to observe and image it a few weeks ago, while it was in Ursa Major and Canes Venatici and more easily seen from my observing position in the early hours of the morning. Unfortunately a clear morning did not materialise and I’d not checked the comet’s location for a while.

Andrew’s post reminded me that it’s now an evening object, much brighter and moving quickly across the sky  - and that I’d better get on with viewing it!

Due to its location, I had to use 7 x 50 binoculars, on a footpath near home, rather than my ‘scope. Still, though the comet was very low in the sky by the time the clouds cleared, it was easily seen as a fairly large, diffuse blob, with the binocs once I was dark-adapted.

Regards, Mike.

 

[Marvin Jenkins]

Just come in from an unexpected and incorrectly forecast clear evening.

10x50 bins and with a lot of dark adaptation I found  H2 Lemmon. I am so happy as I have had no opportunities for Astro for some time and the forecast continues to be terrible.

I will have to check my books but this maybe my 10th comet. Thanks to everyone for the heads up. If a miracle happens and it is clear tomorrow I will get the 5” newt on it.

Marvin

[scotty1]

What magnitude is this comet now? I can't find it with 10 secs exposure at 90mm. Probably in the wrong place. 

[mcrowle]

It’s around magnitude 6. Was just about to head out to view it myself, but now have a line of showers coming from the North. Hoping to try again shortly.

Regards, Mike.

[John]

I've picked Comet Lemmon up with 11x70 binoculars this evening, in Hercules. It is not as bright as M27 (the Dumbbell Nebula) but a fairly obvious faint glow of light even at 11x magnification.

About mid-mag 6 I reckon.

[Paul M]

I just failed on this with my 10 x 50's. There was a good sized break in the passing cumulus scud and I star hopped to the right area but nothing. 

I've picked up fainter comets than mag 6 with these bins, but that's comets for you!

It didn't help having someone firing late season rockets directly into the bit of sky I was looking at. Unfortunately the dogs were outside keeping me company at the time.  They have now grown to dislike comet hunting.

 

[andrew63]

It's large and very diffuse - just been looking at a ghostly haze in 8x42. Screenshot.

[mcrowle]

Yes, very diffuse!

Due to high cloud in the breaks between showers, it was more difficult to pick out this time than on Monday. In fact I had to photograph the general location and then use the photo as reference to find the comet in my 7 x 50s.

Regards, Mike.

[scotty1]

The seeing wasn't very good with high humidity.

Found it with my 90mm Tamron 2.8 and Astrotracer on K70 

40 seconds 800 ISO f3.2 (quick in camera heavy crop) 

 

 

Edited November 10, 2023 by scotty1

[Debo]

I had a go last night but couldn't find it with the bins, very disappointing ☹️

Tried my camera with a wide angle lens (38mm) pointing in the general direction and found it (only just).

Cropped to 50%

 

Edited November 11, 2023 by Debo

[Paul M]

26 minutes ago, Debo said:

Tried my camera with a wide angle lens (38mm) pointing in the general direction and found it (only just).

Nice job! Though without the strong colour it could have been mistaken for a star.

I'd have expected a diffuse glow, given the difficulty of this comet in bins.

Edited November 11, 2023 by Paul M

[bish]

I'm wondering if my 10" scope will pick it up from badly polluted area (bortle 8). I am going to Cornwall on Monday to a dark area on the west coast. That would be ideal but forecast is rain all week.

[scotty1]

This is the BBC version of cloudy. 

Literally within 1min of opening the shutter it clouded up.

Managed to find it again, and sky is clearer at the moment. 

😉

 

Edited November 11, 2023 by scotty1

[bish]

Just seen it my 5" mak. Really faint. Accidentally nudged the scope and couldn't find it again. Think the sky misted a bit.

[scotty1]

From this evening 11/11/23 18.40 GMT

DSLR and 55-300 zoom, single shot 20s exposure ISO 3200.

Thin clouds arrived

10s iso6400

Edited November 12, 2023 by scotty1

[Debo]

Used my telescope (6'' Achro) yesterday evening to get this very noisy image.

The comet was moving quickly so had to use iso6400 and a short 90s exposure to try and stop it looking like a cigar 🙂

Edited November 12, 2023 by Debo

[Astroscot2]

Managed to view the comet last night with 8x40 bins and adverted vision, it was just about n the edge of visibility but definitely there.