Comet McNaught Success from Ireland

Keith g

And about time too! With all our bad weather. Hi All, Comet C/2006 P1 McNaught is now briefly gracing our dawn and evening skies, and after a long spell of bad weather, I finally got a chance to see and photograph it this morning, January 10th, in pre dawn skies, close to sunrise. After waiting for the comet to appear an ever brightening eastern sky, I finally spotted McNaught with my celestron 15x70mm binocualrs very low in the east-southeast at 7.51am local time, perhaps on one degree above the clear horizon against the backdrop of a bright orange sky - and what a sight it was !

I estimate the the comet was about one full moon width in length from nucleus to the faintest end of the very short tail, in all only a half a degree in length at best. This really is a very small comet, but what it lacked in size, it certainly made up for in brightness. I used the planet Jupiter as a guide, and made out that it must have been shining at magnitude -1.5 - the brightest comet visible in our skies since Hale-Bopp!!

For a brief period, I could see the comet with the naked eye, but only 10 minutes or so, before succoming to an very bright sky. A sight which I will indeed never forget! Do try and get out while you can to see this comet, it's worth the effort!

Details: Comet McNaught 10.01.2007 at 7.57UT, Canon 300D, 480mm lens at f9, 0.6 seconds exposure, ISO 100
Keith..

http://www.irishastronomy.org/user_resources/files/1168458905-Comet%20McNaught%20Dawn%2010%20Jan%202007webs1.jpg

Redshift

Lovely pic keith, Now if only this blasted weather would clear up, for the love of god just one clear night:rolleyes:

gonker

Fabulous picture. I forgot about it this morning.:(

Flukey

Great photo. There was a good one taken in America in the newspapers during the week. I have not set eyes on it yet myself.

Flukey

Another nice one of it here, taken in Britain:

jessop1

some great pics here:

http://www.spaceweather.com/comets/mcnaught/
http://www.spaceweather.com/comets/gallery_mcnaught.htm
http://www.aerith.net/pictures/jager/2006P120060107net.jpg

orbit animation:
http://shadowandsubstance.com/


enjoy

Flukey

I went looking for it this evening. The weather was not too bad, though there was some clouds. However with light pollution, not being able to see an unobstructed low horizon and the fact it was better place a few days ago, I did not have any success.

jessop1

Some breathtaking pics of the comet tail curving as seen from the southern hemisphere.

enjoy


http://msowww.anu.edu.au/~rmn/C2006P1new.htm