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.
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To: Right Wing Professor
To: Right Wing Professor
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.
44 posted on
12/08/2004 10:54:45 PM PST by
RightWhale
(Destroy the dark; restore the light)
To: Right Wing Professor
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...
49 posted on
12/08/2004 11:16:04 PM PST by
Chemist_Geek
("Drill, R&D, and conserve" should be our watchwords! Energy independence for America!)
To: Right Wing Professor
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?
50 posted on
12/08/2004 11:47:37 PM PST by
fire_eye
(Socialism is the opiate of academia.)
To: Right Wing Professor
Very helpful tips. Thanks!
57 posted on
12/09/2004 5:11:41 AM PST by
Molly Pitcher
(We are Americans...the sons and daughters of liberty...*.from FReeper the Real fifi*)
To: Right Wing Professor
in a few days it should be a fairly easy naked eye objectI refuse to go into public with naked eyes.
I mean, have some shame, man!
61 posted on
12/09/2004 9:28:15 AM PST by
Lazamataz
("Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown" -- harpseal)
To: Right Wing Professor
Any chance we could suggest some left-wing kook kult to hitch a ride ala Hale-Bop?
64 posted on
12/09/2004 9:46:25 AM PST by
add925
(The Left = Xenophobes in Denial)
To: Right Wing Professor
To: Right Wing Professor
thanks. I will be in big sky country on jan6- should I look next to pleiades?
70 posted on
12/09/2004 10:45:34 AM PST by
beebuster2000
(waiting waiting waiting)
To: Right Wing Professor
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!
To: Right Wing Professor
great post thanks!
![](http://skyandtelescope.com/mm_images/7643.jpg)
77 posted on
12/29/2004 9:42:25 AM PST by
bedolido
(I can forgive you for killing my sons, but I cannot forgive you for forcing me to kill your sons)
To: Right Wing Professor
New Comet Now Visible to Naked EyeYeah, 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.
83 posted on
01/08/2005 3:29:14 PM PST by
dirtboy
(To make a pearl, you must first irritate an oyster)
To: Right Wing Professor
I tried looking at it just now but everytime I turned up, the snowflakes kept getting in my eyes. Maybe tomorrow night.
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