What should that pesky comet look like

[Wurzil]

Hi all - I struggled for an hour last night but could not find Comet PJ Harvey.

I was using a 2" wide angle EP at 32x mag and was scanning the area around Mirphak and the double cluster but could not find it (didnt help that the laptop ran out of battery grrrrr!!).

Will the comet just look like a star at this mag? Or is it just so faint that i might have scooted straight past it???

w

[mdstuart]

Its a large very faint background grey smudge. A bit like M33...

Make sure you get a good map

Comet Chasing

Its there but just very faint...Shows up well now in 80mm binos..

Mark

[NGC 1502]

Hi Wurzil, Hartley was not too prominent last night in my 10" Dob under my hazy

light polluted skies (SE Essex). Last Weds evening at my club, some just could

not see it (same scope and hazy) but others could.

Another finder chart is here http://snipurl.com/18zxcf click on the chart to

get an expanded scrollable one. The positions marked are at the start of each day.

Good luck ! Ed.

[Peter Drew]

Comet Hartley was visible in Tenerife a few days ago and here in the NW on my return early this morning using the much praised/criticised cheapo Meade/Bresser/Rocktrail 10x50's. As already posted, looks very much like M33.

[Moonshane]

I agree mate

this is better in bins - it was great in my 15x70s last night and at a dark site I saw it in my 7x36s once I knew where it was. I also saw it at home in the 15x70s so you will see it (I live near Manchester and Stockport). you need a dark as possible sky, good transparency and good dark adaptation. try and find M33 and it's about the same size and brightness. last night I used the double cluster as a pointer - it would below them with them pointing at it about a bins width below. tonight it will be a bit more to the 'left'.

[lukebl]

I'd say it's got a lot brighter in the last couple of days. Just seen it easily with 10x50 bins in fairly light-polluted suburban sky, and I would say that it was brighter than M33.

[peteuplink]

I've been checking it's location each day on Stellarium, but I've not managed to see it yet. Well I don't think I have. Last time I looked at the area Stellarium indicated it would be I saw something very faint but it could easily have been a faint star or something.

[Moonshane]

hi there

I have just been out and the sky has improved since an hour or so ago. (I am in Stockport).

if you get the double cluster in your bins, and if you view them as forming a 'pointer' then follow from the top to the bottom and keep on in a straight line about 1-2 bins width downwards. you'll see a triangle of bright stars with two at the top and one at the bottom. the comet is just to the left of the bottom one. it's fainter than last night as the sky is less clean but it's there. in my skies it's a fuzzy ball, maybe the size of the moon?? and brighter in darker skies. this was with 15x70s.

I'll go again now and try with my 9x50 finder and 7x36s. good luck!

[Moonshane]

I could just about see it in 9x50 but not 7x36.

[peteuplink]

Hi Moonshane. The area you just described is more or less where Stellarium is saying the comet should be, I just can't be sure what I'm seeing is the comet. I've definitely not seen anything moon sized. I've seen something that looks like a small smudge, but I'm not convinced that's actually it.

I'm in an area of Manchester that's quite well lit. Well the street is well lit, but my back yard is in an unlit area, but there's still a lot of light pollution from the street lamps so I think it's just getting drowned out (the pollution isn't as bad tonight though). Either that or the 10x40's just aren't letting in enough light. I probably should get a pair of 10x50's

[Moonshane]

if I get the bottom star of the upside down triangle in the right of your field at quarter past on the clock then the comet is at quarter to and about three degrees away. my bins are 4 degree field and yours will be wider. it should be a faint smudge, possibly with a brighter centre. I have just compared it with M33 here and it's definitely brighter. from your description it sounds like you have it. your dad would (will?) be proud his old bins are being put to such good use!

[Moonshane]

ps try and get to the darkest part of your garden and (seriously!!) put a cover over your head/bins to remove any outside light. this may help increase contrast.

[Moonshane]

pps last night I found it more obvious in my 15x70s than it was in the scope.

[peteuplink]

I can't see M33 at all with these bins. M31 isn't an issue though.

I can definitely see something up where the comet should be, just not very clearly and only if I use averted vision.

You're right, my dad probably would be proud that his old bins are being put to a good use. He was always interested in the stars and would often spend a good couple of hours outside with these bins.

I am thinking of getting a telescope as well as keeping the bins. Been looking at the Skywatcher Explorer 130p

[Moonshane]

I am starting to get the hang of my 15x70s and have found a proper place to use them - 'our back step' - how northern is that!

I found them somewhat heavy at first but they quality is really showing now. the Pleiades is simply beautiful. You'll see the comet. I bet you've had it already. try in a bit if you can when it's right overhead.

[peteuplink]

Your back step? Eeh! Well I'll go t' foot of our stairs!

I'll have another look around midnight and see what I can spot.

[Moonshane]

good luck mate....now where's me wippet.

get the bright star in the right of the field and roll your eyes about (i.e. use averted vision) and I bet you'll see a dusky ball.

[peteuplink]

Yep, there's definitely something there. Takes a bit of looking and a lot of averted vision, but I do see a very faint blob.

[Moonshane]

excellent stuff! there's nothing else really fuzzy in that area so you must have it. nice one! the open clusters in Auriga look nice through bins now too. now you have the comet, try triangulum M33 again. it's in the middle of a diamond of stars like this Google Image Result for http://www.deepfield.at/images/gallery/img_m33_1024x768.jpg (although obviously the galaxy is not ). try AV again and I bet you'll see it. get the right hand star (the point) in your bins and move up and a bit to the right and look for the diamond.

[peteuplink]

I was going to try looking for the clusters in Auriga, but the constellation doesn't come high enough above the houses on my right for me to see them. I can see Capella and Menkalinan okay, but no clusters. I'll wait until it's higher in the sky.

I'll have another try for M33 tonight if it stays clear.

[Wurzil]

Ill give the comet a go with my bins if the skies ever clear. i might have to put my flat cap on and travel up to the clear skies it sounds like youve been having.

even when its clear down hear at the moment, theres a dampness to the air that reflects all the streetlights. totally gross!

w

[dweebostar]

we saw it last week at kielder camp, and i saw it again last night at home here in galloway, not too impresive, no tail, so it just seem to look like an out of focus star, or small fuzzy blob. keep trying though, cheers steve

[Moonshane]

I agree you'll get it. the seeing here has been appalling despite the good transparency generally. you'd be welcome with a flat cap anytime mate!

[peteuplink]

I think I managed to see M33 today. Wanted to check again (just to be sure) when it got a bit higher in the sky and away from the murk, but it's gone cloudy.

Was also going to look for the comet again, couldn't quite work out it's new location, so I got a fix on it with Stellarium, but no chance with the clouds. So I'm going to call it a night.

[Moonshane]

nice one Pete

According to the maps I think tonight Hartley will form an almost equilateral triangle to the 'left' of Mirphak and Delta Persei (the one below Mirphak). Had a quick look last night both Hartley and M33 were harder to see despite good transparency. I think there might have been a very fine high cloud which was not obvious naked eye.