Hope for glimpse of green comet tonight

dreamer_ire

Just in case you hadn't seen this (I hadn't til just now!)

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/hope-for-glimpse-of-green-comet-14201421.html

At around midnight, UK space scientists and amateur stargazers will be looking due south for a glimpse of the unusual celestial body as it reaches its nearest point to Earth.

Overblood

300,000 miles wide? No way. That's from here to the moon.

Overblood

actually maybe they're including the gas with that...

dreamer_ire

Maybe... either way it's way too cloudy in Belfast to have a chance of getting a pic. That said might take a peak outside about 11.30 and see if it's clearing.

coylemj

Was looking for it last night from south Dublin when it was right beside Saturn but by the time it rose above the haze of the low sky the clouds moved in and I could see nothing.

You don't have to wait until midnight - at 22:00 it will be at elevation 30 degrees, compass (true) bearing 123 degrees. At 23:00 it will be at altitude 36 degrees, compass bearing 139 degrees

However a comet is a very difficult photographic subject because it's very faint and hazy so you need a very long exposure with an equatorial mount in order to get a decent photo, better to leave the camera indoors and get out with the binos to see it.

bogman

Just spotted with binoculars, not bad considering there was a fair bit of light pollution in that direction, bringing out a telescope for a serious look in an hour or so