Comet McNaught - where to view around Sydney

[MortonH]

Hi, I'm new to Sydney and haven't yet figured out the best observing sites. I realise that this comet is very low and therefore a clear horizon is essential. Anyone got a recommendation of the most accessible location that will be suitable from 15-17 Jan? I'm living in Rose Bay just now. Today I was in Watsons Bay and wondered if I could see it from there, even though the city will light up the sky in the west, but after looking at the finder charts I'm not sure that the horizon is low enough.

Appreciate any help you can give.

Thanks

Morton

[iceman]

Hi Morton! :welcome: to IIS!

How far are you prepared to drive? A good view of the west/SW is essential..

If I lived close enough, I would've thought that up in the blue mountains, overlooking the western valley down into Lithgow (?) might be a great spot. Some locals might say i'm wrong :)

I'm not sure of the lay of the land around Rose Bay/Watsons Bay - so I can't help you there i'm sorry.

[CoombellKid]

Why not try taking a trip up Sydney Tower around or just proir to
sunset. Apart from that in sydney at ground level it might be
hard to find a spot.

Take a pair of bino's with you if you can.

regards,CS sunny days

[maksutover]

i dont think the CBD is a good option... But im still deciding where to go on monday aswell... Sydney sux :P

Does anyone know how dover heights is ?

[okiscopey]

Hello MortonH and Maksutover,

I live in Bondi but don't want to travel outside the Eastern Suburbs, so just checked out some possible spots from here to La Perouse.

The best of the sites I looked at is probably Wentworth St. just above Hugh Bamford Reserve. It's off Military Road in North Bondi - a cul-de-sac with easy parking next to elevated parkland. The view to the WSW (247 deg. Az) is obviously across Sydney with the Waverley/Bondi Junction ridge in the way - but the ridge doesn't take up more than about 5 deg. elevation.

I reckon if folks can see the comet during the day and it sets long before dark, city lights are not an issue and it should be OK once the sun drops below the ridge ... assuming minimal haze and decent binoculars.

I have 11x70 and 20x90 binos (but only one tripod!) and will probably be at Wentworth Street from about 7pm Sunday and Monday evenings.

I didn't check the Vaucluse area for some unaccountable reason! This may be better. I saw Halley's Comet from there in 1986.

Have you found any other suitable places?

Ring me on 0412 580 162 or 9365 1075 if you want to meet up.

Regards,

Mike.

[maksutover]

Hey Oki!

If you think that area is good then it probably is. Thanks for your number, ill give you a buzz tomorrow if the weather is suitable for observing. My name is Ebrahim by the way, just so you know if i call you.. :)

And i think all sydney dwellers should all gather up in a place such as th eone suggested, so we can all benefit from each other.

cheers.

[GeoffW1]

Hi,

I did hear that Dudley Page Reserve in Military Rd Nth Bondi has a good view down the Harbour West.

Geoff

[okiscopey]

I'm not an experienced comet watcher, the site selection is all theory ... hope it'll work out OK.

BOM Forecast for Sunday:Cloudy morning with the chance of a shower or two then fine and partly cloudy. Moderate southeasterly winds.

Fingers crossed!

[okiscopey]

Yep, but the view down the harbour is a bit N of W. The city buildings (etc.) may be in the way. Good for fireworks, not sure about comets!

There's also Christisson Park (near the Macquarie lighthouse).

Might pop up there tomorrow morning and check 'em out.

Stand by please!

[Colin]

Hi All,

Does anyone know if there are any planned observation areas in the south west of sydney, or if anyone can suggest a suitable vantage point?

Cheers.
:thumbsup:

[okiscopey]

OK, checked out Dudley Page Reserve - horizon to WSW (tall buildings of Bondi Junction) problematic and looks higher than 'horizon' from Wentworth St. N. Bondi.

Christisson Park NBG due to trees, etc. even from top of the footy stands.

Various spots in Vaucluse NBG also.

I'm sticking to Wentworth St!

[okiscopey]

Hey MortonH, maksutover and anyone else... where were you?

Hopefully you didn't have the haze and clouds on the horizon as seen from the Wentworth St site at sunset today (Sunday) - didn't see a thing.

Couldn't even see McNaught during the afternoon - far too much haze around the Sun.

Will be at Wentworth St again tomorrow (Monday) 7pm.

The conditions should be just perfect ... they'd better be!

[maksutover]

Hey Oki

Sorry i kinda decided to go to la perouse instead but it was a similar story to what you described. I took some pics to show how dismal it really was!

[MortonH]

Was up at Lake Macquarie this weekend. Am still trying to decide where to go Monday evening.

Lake Mac has some good views but lots of cloud around the horizon today. Also, saw Glenn's [ost on the Comet foum and he has recommended a place out West, Flinders Slopes. Might try that as I'll be out west tomorrow anyway.

Good luck to everyone. Will be trying during daylight tomorrow as well.

Morton

[okiscopey]

Flinders Slopes sounds very promising. Also I'm sure La Perouse will be OK. The main thing is for us all to have clear skies. Looks good at the moment (2pm in Randwick no clouds and transparency better than yesterday).
Fingers crossed ... again.

[ving]

hey, why not go outside and look at it now! its hard to see but i just did it naked eye here at rockdale hiding inteh shadow of the library :D

[MortonH]

Saw it today from Rose Bay, Sydney around 3pm. Blocked off the sun with the roof of ,my apartment building and then easily found it with 7 x 50 binos, approx one field of view (maybe a tad more) from the sun. At that time of day, the comet was almost directly above the sun. I guess as the day progresses it'll be more to the left of the sun.

Having spotted it with the binos, it was them remarkably easy to see with the naked eye, although it kept disappearing for a few minutes as high level cloud/haze (almost invisible because of the sun's glare) swept across. It was always easily picked up again in the binos.

Was at North Head this morning and it looks like a good spot, with decent elevation compared to the city. I'll be back over there around 7pm to hopefully see the comet reveal more of itself as the sun sets.

Good luck to everyone that hasn't seen it yet.

Morton

[okiscopey]

Thanks Ving, looked during the day till I was blue in the face, red in the eyes and cricked in the neck but still no joy. Sky must be more transparent at Rockdale. Good views this evening though through various binos just after sunset.

[seeker372011]

as I wrote in the other thread a fairly sizeable crowd of people-about 50 -congregated at Buckleys Road in Winston Hills most armed with binos, some telescopes and some telephoto lens/camera combos

No real observing area people just stood by the side of the road and observed the comet till it vanished from view

what really worried me was the number of people who went looking for the comet with binos before sunset getting perilously close -in my opinion -to the sun.

One guy decided it was dangerous to look at the sun with binos-and went to his car to get a sun eyepiece filter . I could not keep quiet in all conscience and pointed out that these eyepiece solar filters were dangerous, but he just looked at me and kept on doing what he was doing :(

what can you do? It was scary watching people take these risks:shrug: :shrug:

[sejanus]

if anyone in south sydney wants to meet up tomorrow night, on the old princes hwy just up the road from woronora dam towards helensburgh theres a great spot looking west with good views and no obstructions.

I'll be there tomorrow at 8pm with my scope and some guy I met tonight is bringing a 12.5"!!!

[snowyskiesau]

I'm planning to head down the Hume Highway from Sydney and stop around sunset.
Not sure where that will put me (Goulburn?) but it must be better than the view from my backyard

Headed for the Snowy tomorrow for a few days so should have a better chance of seeing
it from there. If not, I've still got the dark skies at night :)

[norm]

For any inner city folk, living near Ashfield, Burwood, Straithfield area.
There is a park off Trevenar St, called PEACE Park. It sits atop a hill with unobstructed views west of the horizon.

Checked McNuaght out there tonight and it was brilliant. Pulled out the 15*70 and my makeshift proto-type parallelogram mounts and next minute I've got a queue of people lining up checking it out!!!:lol:

I better read up on the comet for tomorrow night for the next batch of questions!:P :)

Wife and kids had a blast :D

[snowyskiesau]

Should have stayed in Sydney. Cloudy every evening so no view of comet.
I got my dark skies at night but only due to the heavy cloud.:mad2:
If I hadn't caught a couple of fish, the trip would have been a complete waste.

[horst]

I have been heading to the garbage hill in Sydney Park, St Peters
great 360 views and the oppertunity to photograph 'comet with plane'
last night you could see fireworks happening at the airport (presumably because they found another way to gauge money out of customers)
but it did seem fitting to the spectacle above



another 1st post of the the comet made me remember astronomy crew

[GeoffW1]

Hi,

There is a little park at Milsop Pl and Jersey Ave Mortdale, with a good elevation over to the SW. Cloud and haze has made it a bit difficult this week, but last night was better.

GeoffW1

[maksutover]

Thanks geoff, i live in the rockdale area so ill check that place out

Cheers.