Been meaning to look at this comet, but its either cloudy or I observe too early (my eastern horizon is fairly blocked out, so I need objects to get past zenith). Need to stay up past midnight one night...
Had 3 good nights in a row to view Garradd here in Nova Scotia. Especially enjoyed my view the night of Aug 1-2 when I caught it in the same eyepiece view with M15. Recorded my eyepiece view as a pencil sketch on a Starry Night b-on-w printout chart, which I then scan to a jpeg and invert to a w-on-b. I tweek it a bit electronically and posted it as a feature on my website. Lots of fun and satisfaction. ( http://web.mac.com/sherm39/Site_2/Home_Site.html )
Had 3 good nights in a row to view Garradd here in Nova Scotia. Especially enjoyed my view the night of Aug 1-2 when I caught it in the same eyepiece view with M15. Recorded my eyepiece view as a pencil sketch on a Starry Night b-on-w printout chart, which I then scan to a jpeg and invert to a w-on-b. I tweek it a bit electronically and posted it as a feature on my website. Lots of fun and satisfaction. ( http://web.mac.com/sherm39/Site_2/Home_Site.html )
Nice job Sherman! I observed it last night, 21mm EP in 4.5" f8 reflector (43x). Lovely little comet, bright, centrally condensed with a diffuse outer coma streaming off in a faint tail, in PA180. Watched it slowly move out of line with two reasonably bright stars, fascinating!
Sketch attached.
Quote:
Originally Posted by steve000
Sorry to Hijack but dont forget 45p/honda has about a week left of viewing for brisbaneites. its brightening rapidly
Had a look for 45P too but couldn't see it. Battling to see a mag 11.9 star nearby - noticed a mag 11.0 visual observation on the comet posted last night, but it was reported that it was very diffuse. When the sky is good I can easily see into the mid mag 12s on stars with this scope. Slight haze about, but the diffuseness is probably the killer in this scope. Maybe in a night or two, as it's brightening so rapidly.
I observed Two comets last night in the 16",Comet P1 Garradd which showed very little difference to the last time I observed it very slightly brighter maybe ,I agree with glenn about the tail, I was using a T4 17mm Nagler FOV 46'.
Comet 2010 X1 Elenin is in Virgo and low down in the West just after twilight.
Was observed through Smoke haze but still showed fan shape.no guess as to mag seeing as it was in quite thick smoke .
In same field as Galaxy NGC 4030, which made for an interesting view considering the poor conditions .
Cheers
Good one Ron! I'm hoping for a bit of clear sky on the weekend to observe these comets.
The night before last there was a very short cloud-free break after sunset and I attempted to image a low C/2009 P1 Garradd through trees, and the departing 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova disappearing into twilight!
Please don't laugh, these shots are a sign of my desperation after a wet & cloudy winter!
Good one Ron! I'm hoping for a bit of clear sky on the weekend to observe these comets.
The night before last there was a very short cloud-free break after sunset and I attempted to image a low C/2009 P1 Garradd through trees, and the departing 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova disappearing into twilight!
Please don't laugh, these shots are a sign of my desperation after a wet & cloudy winter!
Well done Rob,
Like your pic's
I would like to get a look at 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova but it is too low in the evening and too Moonie in the morning sky plus I Juuuuuust dont feel like getting out of a warm bed .
Cheers
With my limited northerly aspect, I have finally caught this comet between the trees. Reminds me of NGC 104 through binoculars - the brighter core and the fuzzy edges. Not much tail to speak of (quite faint), but I am looking towards the centre of Canberra in that direction so the light pollution definitely a factor.
Had a hunt for Garrad last night. Gets up to about 35 degrees North at 10 pm but it's not my best direction LP wise. And then a fine haze cloud layer moved in and only had the little 80mm out so no luck. Try again tonight, clouds willing. I'll get the 10" scope out hopefully. Might be able to test my 32mm 2" EP, should be good as sweeper.
How bright should Comet Garradd be? We were looking last night about this time, we found M71 fine but couldn't seem to find the comet. I'm guessing maybe we didn't pan across enough
I have the same problem but mine is only a 5" Mak. To me its just a very dim blob just below Gamma Sagittae. Needs a lot of dark adaptation. Even averted vision in the beginning. I don't see a bright nucleus at all. Good luck.Its mag 8 smeared over so don't expect a bright coma.
How bright should Comet Garradd be? We were looking last night about this time, we found M71 fine but couldn't seem to find the comet. I'm guessing maybe we didn't pan across enough
It's magnitude is in the low to mid 8's, and tonight close to Zeta Sge (mag 5) and a bit further from Delta Sge (mag 3.8)
I finally found it this night at about 8:35pm (more or less)
I could observe it in both a Celestron 25mm WA and a Baader 12.5mm Ortho on my 150mm GSO Reflector. Initially I thought it was a relatively small globular cluster. Then I verified with stellarium none are so close to M71 and finally by Cartes du Ciel identified it was the Garradd comet.
I tried last week (in the only night without clouds) to find her (the Italian "Cometa"takes the female gender), without any luck, such I thought it wasn't bright enough for my gear.
I couldn't see the tail but hey it is my very first comet saw by a scope
The attached image is a screenshot done with stellarium. Garradd position (more or less) is in the center of the overlapping Telrad pattern and highlighted by a pale red circle.
I also added what I reckon it may be the path Garradd covered since last week (I approximately knew then where it was by Cartes du Ciel).
If this path is right, I should find her tomorrow following it.
I hope this image may help others to find her. Please let me know if it actually will work for you