[Right Wing Professor]

Worth a look if you're somewhere with a dark sky. I found it with non-dark adapted eyes in less than 5 minutes wtih a pair of 9 X 63 binoculars. I think you could see it with unaided eyes in a very dark sky if you dark-adapted for 1/2 hour. It looked brighter to me than Sky and Telescope's prediction; in a few days it should be a fairly easy naked eye object. I had it at -22 degres south, 4h 42 R.A. this evening at 9;30 CDT.

Finding it: draw a line between Betelgeuse, the top left, reddish star in Orion, to Rigel (the bright bottom right star). Go further along that line the same distance again. The comet is right there. It's about 2 degrees (the length of Orion's belt) south of 54 Eridani, which is really the only star easily visible to the unaided eye in the region; it's moving north, and by December 12 should be due East of 54 Eridani. By early January it will be much brighter and next to the Pleiades.

[quietolong]

bump

[RightWhale]

visible without binoculars or telescopes by experienced observers under dark skies

Haven't seen a star dimmer than mag 4 for years in this light-polluted town. Mag 3 is the usual limit, which gives us about two dozen stars on the usual clear night. M31 is still visible in spite of that, but that's only because I have been watching it for decades. In prior times before we decided to light up the night this comet would have been easy almost anywhere, even downtown Manhattan now and then. Experienced observers are rare birds.

[Chemist_Geek]

Finding it: draw a line between Betelgeuse, the top left, reddish star in Orion, to Rigel (the bright bottom right star). Go further along that line the same distance again. The comet is right there. It's about 2 degrees (the length of Orion's belt) south of 54 Eridani, which is really the only star easily visible to the unaided eye in the region; it's moving north, and by December 12 should be due East of 54 Eridani. By early January it will be much brighter and next to the Pleiades.

Thanks! Now, if we could only do something about these clouds...

[fire_eye]

Any chances of getting all the Senators who voted for the Stupidity Reform Bill today, to join a cult and get on the spacecraft that's following it?

[Molly Pitcher]

Very helpful tips. Thanks!

[Lazamataz]

in a few days it should be a fairly easy naked eye object

I refuse to go into public with naked eyes.

I mean, have some shame, man!

[add925]

Any chance we could suggest some left-wing kook kult to hitch a ride ala Hale-Bop?

[alwaysontheright]

Space Ping

[beebuster2000]

thanks. I will be in big sky country on jan6- should I look next to pleiades?

[Siegfried]

AWESOME COMET VIEWING THIS MORNING!

I got up this morning and saw what I thought was a jet con trail far off on the eastern horizon as the sun was rising. But a few minutes later I noticed that it wasn't moving much, so I started looking closer. Bith binocs it's an amazing sight.

It looks to have a very large "head" with a wide, but fairly short tail. Maybe the comet has broken up or something, and maybe we're seeing the tail from an angle.

But it's at least as bright as that evening comet a few years ago, Hale-Bopp I think it was. Highly recommended viewing for anyone up before dawn. Just look east!

[bedolido]

great post thanks!

[dirtboy]

New Comet Now Visible to Naked Eye

Yeah, now all we need is for the friggin' cloud cover to abate in the NE. I'm looking forward to seeing this comet near the Plieadeas - but you have to be able to actually see the sky first.

[SamAdams76]

I tried looking at it just now but everytime I turned up, the snowflakes kept getting in my eyes. Maybe tomorrow night.