h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Anyone seen this one yet. I had a really clear, cold night and my Dad (of all people) had read that therre was a comet visible below Orion.

So out I went at 23.30 GMT(UT) to have a look. I left it that late so that the moon had more or less set. There it was in all it's glory (HA!! - a reeeeaaaaaallllllly faint, fuzzy blob that is more easily seen with peripheral vision (more rods in that bit of the retina of the eye)).

I used binoculars to look at it but if I get another clear night I'll set the 'scope up and have a look through that!

Here are the finder charts courtesy of NASA - http://encke.jpl.nasa.gov/charts.html .
There are others to watch as well.

turvy

Yes, we found that one last week on one of the few crisp clear nights we've had this year. I saw a mention of it on www.spaceweather.com, downloaded the details into Skymap so we knew where to look and then waited for Orion to rise above our horizon far enough that I could find the comet. I was very pleased to find the fuzzy blob appeared just where I was expecting it to. Phil found it in the scope and we had a better view of a fuzzy blob. Not much of a tail to see so far but it'll be around for a little while yet, tracking up the right hand side of Orion

Another quick reminiscence from that night's skywatching. We'd confirmed again that Saturn has rings and that we could still find some star clusters and nebulae from the Messier list, we'd found the new comet and we were starting to get cold and ready to pack up for the night. Then I said, all we need now are a couple of Geminids - and right on cue down came a couple of bright shooting stars! None at all till then, but 3 or 4 in the next 10 minutes. A great way to end the night's viewing

I picked this one out last night after the new year revells. It's quite clear at the moment even with a 3/4 moon nearby. Once that's out of the way it should be quite bright I would think.
Seasons greetings BTW
A.M.

Was out last night on the first clear night I've seen this year and found it quite easily in the binoculars. It's moved quite a bit from when we first saw it and is now in Taurus, easily spotted in binoculars and probably visible to the naked eye from a very dark site (our back garden is dark but not that dark). Possible elongation but I'd need to get the scope on it to confirm that.
Still, it's still there and ripe for the catching

Should be easier to view now the moon is new.

Wish I'd looked last night but it was too

Will try again tonight.

It's in Taurus now hey? I have a great view of the Plaiedes from my back door so I'll scan from there...

By the way, is this the comet that the Americans are hoping to punch a hole in, on the 4th of July?

It's more towards perseus now having gone past the plaides.
We managed to brave the cold and get the scope out last night and have a good look. Not much of a tail but you could definately see the coma around the nucleus. Managed to spot loads of stuff last night

The deep impact mission is to comet Tempel 1. Don't forget to check out the spacewatch programme on BBC2 tonight all about the Huygens probe descent to Titan.

Got it tapes and going to watch it in a few minutes!

turvy