quiet in here,ok wheres comet 103p hartley?

[NickH]

This was it on Wed night

Have calculated using the Faulkes Telescope, a rotation period of 16 hours, based on some very high resolution jet images close to the nucleus. Toni Scarmato and the CARA team are now cross checking this

[Tantalus]

16x60 bins

After carefully checking two star-charts, Stellarium and Calsky, I'm now pretty sure it was comet Hartley2 that I saw.

I had another look at 02:45(BST) this morning, and picked up the comet half way between Capella and Mirphak, and about 1.5 degrees below NGC1545, as indicated by the arrow in the image (The solid line shows the comet's track). Marginally brighter than my previous observation, but still a feint fuzzy. Because of the late hour, and snatching my chances between patchy, fast-moving clouds, I wasn't properly dark adapted, but I reckon I can now chalk this one up as a confirmed observation

[NickH]

Updated estimation of rotation rate is approx 18 hours (+/- 1.5 hours)

and I got this today

NASA Spacecraft Hurtles Toward Active Comet Hartley 2 - NASA Science

[Worzsel]

I cant find it at all!

What does it look like though 10x50s ?

[Tantalus]

All I can see is a very feint patch of light, and it wasn't easy to pick out, though others have had better luck. From reading through the thread, it does not show up well in light-polluted skies, so ideally you need to be observing from a good, dark site. To maximise your chances of seeing it you should wait until the early morning hours, after the moon has set, and when the comet is closer to the zenith. I've just had another go at observing it, but failed to see anything. Good luck Sarah.

[nitram100]

Practically impossible to see from London, I saw a VERY faint patch of fuzz with averted vision.

[NickH]

I think I got it naked eye in WIltshire coming over from Devizes to home, stopped the car, and got the bins out...then with no bins, I think I could see it still in the same area

[Tantalus]

I think I got it naked eye in WIltshire...

Now you're just rubbing it in Nick

I managed to sight it with bins a few minutes ago, but my eyes are playing up tonight, I'm calling it a day.

[Talitha]

The comet was quite easy to see tonight (11x70s, no LP) despite the moonwash...

took all of 3 seconds to guesstimate the location and zero in on it.

[Moonshane]

having seen it at both I'd say : dark site, easy in bins of any size - light polluted site - tricky but can see it in 15x70s but not 7x36s. if you can see M33 then you'll be able to see Harley.