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I remember seeing Halley's Comet. It certainly wasn't anything special except for the weekend of 15/16 March 1986. I was camping with friends at the coast (somewhere north of Bateman's Bay in NSW, I think). I woke early (4 am maybe) and walked to the beach. I remember sitting on a sand dune, looking at an incredibly clear eastern sky just before sunrise, and seeing at about 40 degrees above the horizon this beautiful comet. Until now, that has been my quintessential image of a comet. I didn't rush back and wake my friends because I was under the impression it was going to be at its best in May or so of that year. I was told later it had brightened considerably at that point because of a solar flare, and it was never as picturesque later. Comet McNaught is supplanting that image for me. I just wish I could capture that long sweep of a dust tail with my lowly digital camera, but I think I need more than the maximum of 4 seconds it gives me.
Noel
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