[Suzy]

Originally Posted by Blue Skies

2.3 is quite bright for Mira. I'm try to catch a glimpse soon.

Yes Jacqui, sure is. Seems you know Mira well.

Les D was telling me a couple of days ago that this was a nice bright one and that we can't be guaranteed next time around of such a bright event. He also said that the average brightness maximum is 3.5 mag., so this is a brighter than normal average.

Originally Posted by RobF

Hey, thanks for that Suzy. Has always been on my "to do" list, but never seem to get around to finding it let alone watching for cycle. Certainly bright, even from my street light saturated front yard http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/....s/thumbsup.gif

Good on you Rob! Well worth a quick look see alright!

Originally Posted by BlackWidow

Took your advice Suzy and got outside to have a look.... Just got hail in my eyes and wet leaves in my hair...

Go on Martin, get back out there again and take another look- I dare you. *boots Martin out the door*

Originally Posted by Mliss

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/....blackcloud.gif http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/..../shrugging.gif

i think that says it all

Yes, no words required.
Oh, am sad you missed it as you were so excited to see it.

Originally Posted by astroron

Will be observing it again tonight Suzy ,it was brilliant last night http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/....eyepopping.gif
Cheers http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/....s/thumbsup.gif

It was indeed!


On my first night of observing it a couple of nights ago (29th), when I saw that the sky had suddenly cleared, around 12.30 at night, I was out there in the freezing cold in my nighty, on my back on a yeeky cold concrete slab using a thrown out empty yalumba wine cask for neck support for bino viewing it at some ridiculously high altitude. I always knew there was a good reason why I drank. Desperate measures, call for desperate means. I was so gobsmacked at how bright this star was that I just couldn't get my eyes off it and observed it till around 2am. Next door's dog barked at me viciously for ages- and I was at my own back door. Probably woke the whole street up- the neighbours obviously got woken up because they had to keep coming out to settle the dog down around 1am.

Last night I observed it for ages naked eye and through the telescope on it's last day of maximum. Lost just a tiny bit of sparkle I thought?
Tonight, my 3rd consecutive viewing of it and it seems a wee bit dimmer. Still quite bright all the same. Tonight I really wished I knew how to measure this star.
I'm going to read thru the AAVSCO site tonight and find out how to measure it as it dips into it's minimum. That site isn't particularly easy (for me anyway) to navigate thru. If anyone can help me, I sure would appreciate it.

If anyone is interested in joining me on measuring Mira, please do and comment on this thread - I would love to hear feedback and it'd be fun to do so as a group.