comet this week

[Daniel-K]

hey anybody reading the paper this week it said there was a comet too be seen just wounder if anybody elses has any ifo on this please

[LukeSkywatcher]

It must be McNaught. There is a good finder chart in one of the sections here on exactly where to find it. Right now i think its near Perseus and Auriga.

[John]

Yep it's pretty good ATM albeit a bit low down. if it goes on brightening it could be naked eye visible soon - depending on how dark your skies are towards the NNW horizon. Might already be for some

[Moonshane]

I finally managed to catch up with this last night.

Not an easy target for me as Auriga does not appear in my garden until maybe 1am to 2am and is very low and partially obscured. Furthermore, Manchester is NW of me so LP is a real issue.

That said, once located it is easy to see and find again. Like a bright green galaxy with a bright core and the very slightest hint of a tail. I used both my 12" dob and my 120mm Refractor and the views were pretty similar in truth.

Could not pick it up with either 7x36mm or 10x50mm binoculars.

Really excited to find it and if you can get a good northern and western horizon I bet you could see it as soon as it goes dark.

cheers

Shane

[Moonshane]

ps

this is the map that helped me most.

Comet C/2009 R1 McNaught Finder Map

[CGolder]

Thanks for the map link should help me locate it tonight

[ampleamp]

thanks for the link, something to do tonight while waiting for the phone to ring