Comet NEOWISE

[Merlin66]

This shows what we're missing!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-W-7Ioohr8&feature=youtu.be

[h0ughy]

You're cruel

[N1]

It will return to southern skies late this month.

[Merlin66]

https://cometchasing.skyhound.com/
The above link gives details of all the current comets and visiblity.

[rustigsmed]

hi all, is this comet expected to be still bright when it hits the southern skies?

[Saturnine]

It will be gradually dimming week by week but may well still be an naked eye object at the end of the month, low in the NW in the early evening.

[rustigsmed]

ok thanks for the response Jeff, fingers crossed its dimming isn't too drastic

[Simon-W]

The comet should be visible now! I made a 4 minute video here: https://youtu.be/4IQnn-o6yp4 , with a link to a finder chart. It's been looking amazing from NL, where I am!

[Merlin66]

Simon,
For places north of Brisbane, your finder chart could be useful.
Not much hope down here in Melbourne - only 5 degree above the NW horizon just after sunset.

[Simon-W]

It looks better than that to me- I get an altitude of 8 degrees tomorrow night at 19:00 (start of nautical twilight, a full hour after sunset), using Cartes du Ciel... Hope you see it soon!

[ngcles]

Hi All,

Spotted it tonight for the first time at 33.5 deg S (approximately Sydney) after the last two nights of solid rain.

6.25pm (60 mins post sunset) in twilight, found exactly where predicted, 20 degrees due north of Beta Leonis (Denebola) and 4 degrees south of the local star Groombridge 1830 in southern Ursa Major and about 12 degrees above the north west horizon.

In 15x70s it is a bright binocular comet, approximately 4th magnitude with a distinctly cyan hue, sporting a coma about 8-10 arc minutes diameter concentrating fairly strongly to centre. I suspect seeing a short, broad, faint tail, perhaps nearly 2 degrees long in PA 120. The sky was too bright to see it naked-eye before mid-level alto-cumulus cloud rolled in from the south and swallowed it before the last colour from the sunset was extinguished.

No longer a "Neowise Virgin".

Best,

L.

P.S There were sightings of the comet several nights ago by experienced comet observers from about 32 deg south, very very low in the northwest.

[Saturnine]

Thanks for the report Les, gives us a better idea what to expect, was hoping that the tail would be longer and more prominent but it is moving away from us now. Will be trying over the next few evenings to see and image the comet if the coastal cloud gives us a break.

[Rob_K]

I spotted it last night (28 July) from 36.8 S (NE Victoria) in very bright moonlit sky, low in the north-west. Binocular only, not visible naked eye, and couldn't make out a tail. Nice to see it back in our skies - it's a lot brighter than when it left even if it isn't putting on the show it did for the Northern Hemisphere.

I've attached a shot I took last night. With a waxing Moon and a fading comet, views aren't going to be much for a while.

Cheers -

[Merlin66]

Well done, Rob!
Tried from St Leonards last night but hampered by cloud layers.....

[Derek Klepp]

Thanks for the pic Rob .Visible here through bino’s(8x42) with some tail.(North CST NSW).
Derek.

[RobF]

I've heard it will be at its best for Aus observers in about 6800 years? :)