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At 1:30 am (UT+11) on 25/2/09 Lulin was magnitude 4.8 (the same as 58 in Leo with the naked eye) and diameter 15' at 190x with a 12" Dobsonian. The eastern tail was 2.1 degrees long in pa 115. The galaxy NGC 3604 (mag 12.4) was near the end of the tail but much more distant. The comet was 61.6 million km away, the galaxy 68 million light years. Hence the galaxy is 10 million million times more distant. The comet and tail were magnificent in 20x80 binoculars with their 3.2 degree field.
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