Comet McNaught
Discussion
Kinda hard to know where to put this thread. We have a comet visible in the early morning apparently. Not seen it myself, anyone else?
http://spacefellowship.com/news/art20976/mcnaught-...
and some news here.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20100617/tod-bright-gre...
http://spacefellowship.com/news/art20976/mcnaught-...
and some news here.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20100617/tod-bright-gre...
Edited by SeeFive on Thursday 17th June 17:15
There are various bits of sdvice on the web. Some say look to the east on the morning, others different. I have not looked for it myself yet.
Jodrell Bank said:
Comet McNaught.
In the early hours of the morning this month, binoculars should help you spot a comet. During June, Comet McNaught passes low in the north-east through the constellations of, first, Andromeda,then Perseus and finally through Auriga. By the beginning of June it should have reached magnitude 8, so will be fairly obvious in binoculars. On the 1st, it will lie just below and to the left of the star Beta Andromedae. This star is on the "star hop" route to M31: starting at the top left star (Alpha Andromedae) of the Square of Pegasus, go left and a touch down to a star and then continue left by the same amount but a touch up to reach Beta Andromedae. Here one normally turns sharp right past one star to get to M31, but instead just drop below Beta Andromedae to find the comet appearing as a "fuzzy" object. By the 7th it will be just below the star Gamma Andromedae whilst on the 15th it will be very close to the star Delta Persei. On the 21st it will be just up and to the right of the bright star Capella, Alpha Aurigae, and, on the 25th, very close and just to upper left of Beta Aurigae. This gives you 5 mornings when it should be very easy to find! By month's end it may well have reached magnitude 6, but will be increasing lost in the morning twilight. Probably the best time to observe it will be around the 14th, 15th and 16th of June when there will be no moonlight and it is still reasonably high in the sky.
And as we are on pistonheadsIn the early hours of the morning this month, binoculars should help you spot a comet. During June, Comet McNaught passes low in the north-east through the constellations of, first, Andromeda,then Perseus and finally through Auriga. By the beginning of June it should have reached magnitude 8, so will be fairly obvious in binoculars. On the 1st, it will lie just below and to the left of the star Beta Andromedae. This star is on the "star hop" route to M31: starting at the top left star (Alpha Andromedae) of the Square of Pegasus, go left and a touch down to a star and then continue left by the same amount but a touch up to reach Beta Andromedae. Here one normally turns sharp right past one star to get to M31, but instead just drop below Beta Andromedae to find the comet appearing as a "fuzzy" object. By the 7th it will be just below the star Gamma Andromedae whilst on the 15th it will be very close to the star Delta Persei. On the 21st it will be just up and to the right of the bright star Capella, Alpha Aurigae, and, on the 25th, very close and just to upper left of Beta Aurigae. This gives you 5 mornings when it should be very easy to find! By month's end it may well have reached magnitude 6, but will be increasing lost in the morning twilight. Probably the best time to observe it will be around the 14th, 15th and 16th of June when there will be no moonlight and it is still reasonably high in the sky.
the Daily Wail said:
How to spot Comet McNaught 2009R1 from your garden on June 22nd
* Wait until it is dark
* Stand outside and look to the north north west
* You should be able to see a bright yellow star (Capella) low down in the night
* Comet McNaught 2009 R1 will be passing as a green glow close by, moving across the sky from right to left
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-128...
* Wait until it is dark
* Stand outside and look to the north north west
* You should be able to see a bright yellow star (Capella) low down in the night
* Comet McNaught 2009 R1 will be passing as a green glow close by, moving across the sky from right to left
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-128...
El Diablo said:
any idea what part of the sky you ned to look at? North East South West?
It's going to be in the region of the star Capella, which in the early hours (3am) of the morning will be fairly low in the NNE.http://www.astronomynow.com/sky_chart.shtml#
Apparent magnitude estimates are around +3.5, so it's probably not going to be a spectacular naked eye sight like Hale-Bopp was (IIRC that was magnitude of about +1).
Might have a trip out to the Peaks if we get a clear night soon, and take the binoculars.
knight said:
The good news is that I am working nights for the next few days so I'll be able to see it 
the bad news is I will be at Heathrow, so way too many lights so I won't be able to see it! 
You might have a chance with binoculars. TBH you'll probably need them wherever you are to get a decent look. the bad news is I will be at Heathrow, so way too many lights so I won't be able to see it! Mojocvh said:
dr_gn said:
Stu R said:
Up north where? It's totally overcast in Durham
Sheffield. Just took this pic of the Moon as a bit of a camera test:
dr_gn said:
Mojocvh said:
dr_gn said:
Stu R said:
Up north where? It's totally overcast in Durham
Sheffield. Just took this pic of the Moon as a bit of a camera test:Mojocvh said:
dr_gn said:
Mojocvh said:
dr_gn said:
Stu R said:
Up north where? It's totally overcast in Durham
Sheffield. Just took this pic of the Moon as a bit of a camera test:Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff