posted 01-07-2007 06:35 PM               

Photos and additional information can be found here: http://cometography.com/lcomets/2006p1.html

posted 01-07-2007 07:42 PM               

That's about the same time I saw it in binocs, although I could not quite make it out naked eye. Unfortunately I did not have a good spot to set up my scope in time.

It should be interesting to see how much brighter it gets over the next few days.

posted 01-09-2007 06:08 AM               

Good luck and I hope you try to observe this neat comet.

posted 01-09-2007 09:45 PM               

Good luck in Louisiana - we don't have too many pine trees in the Kansas City area, usually just clouds!

posted 01-10-2007 04:12 PM               

Miranda and I are going out tonight to see it. Tonight might be the last night it will be visiable so don't miss out.

posted 01-10-2007 05:21 PM               

Banks of clouds.

However, about 40 minutes past sunset some breaks, but I was only able to catch a bright Venus above the horizon.

Maybe tomorrow. I remember Comet West.

posted 01-10-2007 07:28 PM               

Miranda and I went out to a hill top north of town. There were some low thin clouds on the horizon and I began to wonder if we were going to see the comet. Sunset was about 5:21pm. I found Venus about 5:30pm and I spotted the comet in 7 x 50 binoculars at 5:35pm. By 5:43pm Miranda and I were able to see the comet with the naked eye. I had taken my 7" Oak Classic (7" F 5.6 reflector)out with me but the wind was blowing so hard that it would move the telescope. I had to hang on to it so Miranda and I could see the comet. We observed the comet till it set just after 6pm. Even though we had the telescope I think the comet looked better in the binoculars. It had a great tail on it and the head of the comet was very bright. Too bad this comet was not higher in the sky. It might have been a rival to Hale-Bopp.

posted 01-10-2007 07:51 PM               

I did not lug out the telescope, but was happy with my naked eye and binocular views of Comet McNaught.

Patrick

posted 01-11-2007 07:33 AM               

Miranda said "Daddy. What did the comet say when the astronomer said Nice Comet".

"Thank you" I asked.

No. "Nice Comment" Miranda said.

posted 01-11-2007 03:25 PM               

I still don't understand how this can be the BRIGHTEST COMET in XXX years, when I (you/we) could see Halley's AND Shoemaker-Levy (??) (or another really bright one that put Halley's to shame a few years ago) with naked eyes ! (although MY eyes rarely wear clothing !) ???

Must be why I failed ASTRONOMY in college BOTH times !?!?

posted 01-11-2007 06:41 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by spaceman1953:
Clouds, clouds, clouds.

I still don't understand how this can be the BRIGHTEST COMET in XXX years, when I (you/we) could see Halley's AND Shoemaker-Levy (??) (or another really bright one that put Halley's to shame a few years ago) with naked eyes !

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You mean Hale-Bop? I viewed that comet during daylight with my 12.5" f6 Equatorial -- a first for me! I let the clock drive track it until the sun had risen and could still see the central condensation.

posted 01-11-2007 06:58 PM               

Comet McNaught is brighter than these comets but it is very close to the sun so it sets just after the sun. Comet McNaught has never been seen very far above the horizon and since it sets in twilight the sky is not dark enough to really show how bright this comet is.

Take a look at the photo gallery at http://www.spaceweather.com None of the photos there show the comet against a dark sky. All of the photos were taken in twilight. If this comet were seen above the horizon in a dark sky then everyone would really be amazed.

Mike Myer
Humboldt KS

posted 01-11-2007 10:17 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by mdmyer:
While Miranda and I were observing the Comet McNaught I made told her it was a nice comet.

Miranda said "Daddy. What did the comet say when the astronomer said Nice Comet".

"Thank you" I asked.

No. "Nice Comment" Miranda said.

Mike Myer
Humboldt KS.

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Kids are always right! It is great that she got to see the comet. I was able to videotape the comet for my two young boys.

Patrick

posted 01-12-2007 11:41 AM               

What a sight! This is just awsome! This just made my day! I wish we had more events like those. It beats any human spaceflight or photos taken by probes, no matter how great those are.

And of course, nobody's talking about it over here...

posted 01-14-2007 01:33 AM               

quote:

---

Originally posted by AstronautBrian:
This is awesome. I'm going to try and see it tomorrow. It should be a nice, clear day. If it is a clear evening, I may go up on the house roof. I would hate to miss this comet without seeing it at least once!

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It is truly awsome. The official sunset time was 5:44pm (Swiss time) yesterday (Jan.13) but I thought to myself if sunset means the sun setting below the horizon (and over the horizon has an elevation of a few degrees due to mountains), then I should go and try to see it earlier than sunset, which I did. So around 5:25, I went out (with binoculars) and found it immediately and although it's low on the horizon and so its image is a bit fuzzy due to local haze and pollution (reddish clouds), I also managed to see it with the naked eye as an extremely faint object (you need excellent vision and now what and where to look!). But with binoculars, it was a great show; the comet became brighter as it approached the horizon and it was amazing to see how fast the Earth is rotating.
I hope you'll be able to see it.

posted 01-20-2007 02:08 PM               

Thanks for posting those links. Those pictures are incredible! Makes me want to buy some plane tickets for the land down under.

posted 01-27-2007 05:24 AM               

There were some humorous moments..

the small child who pointed his torch at the comet "to see it better"
The astronomer who knew what she was doing with her telescope and muted red working light cursing the one nearby who didn't as he used his hallogen torch to change eyepieces... and the folks using flash photography to get a better shot...

On the trip home we passed hundreds of people standing along the Wellington coastline with not a space inch of room for another car to be parked - bumper to bumper for kilometers as people who otherwise might share nothing in common enjoyed such a spectacular event.

It was one of those magical nights where you realise you are surrounded by parents hoisting kids up on their shoulders, happy couples sitting drinking wine beside the waves watching the wonder of it all, and me and my wife spending our wedding anniversary watching one of the most spectacular things we will see in the heavens during our lifetimes.

And given the Apollo 1 anniversary today, and the upcoming Shuttle commemorations it is hard not to find yourself thinking that the comet was offering more than a small tribute on behalf of the universe to those who have lost their lives in its exploration.

posted 01-27-2007 10:17 AM               

Thanks for sharing your terrific experience with Comet McNaught! They remind me of the shared recollections of Halley's Comet by people who observed the comet in 1910. It is a rare thing to have something special like Comet McNaught that leaves a positive impression with people for the rest of their lives.

posted 01-28-2007 10:28 AM               

thanks for sharing. I remember fondly comet Hale-Bopp, although less spectacular, which offered quite a show and was much more visible (high in the summer sky).