Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian Cooper
It was a hard case situation with the solar twilight receeding in the west and the lunar twilight growing in the north east. In between and up high in the south sat the Clouds of Magellan in the darkest part of the sky. A very vague but persistent appendage to the LMC coming off underneath the Tarantula end of the Bar was best seen with averted vision, but occasionally with direct viewing. A few pesky clouds tried forming in the area. They moved off but the weak, elongated glow persisted. Binoculars weren't any help at all.
I'd say that the tail was no more than 8 degrees long, about the same as the brighter part shown in Lester's picture. In positive and negative views of Lester's shot there is a weak suggestion that the comet may trail off beyond the LMC, but it is not certain.
When I looked to my north I saw lightning flashes so it was good of them to hold off for an hour, otherwise I doubt that I will get another chance before Monday night. I just splashed out on a 450D so the weather will be puke for me for the next few days. Then I'll be ready to give it another crack!
Cheers
Coops
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Excellent Ian! Can confirm - to me the comet was naked eye in averted vision before moonlight killed it. I could see it as a faint bar of light extending as far as the Tarantula Neb end of the LMC.
Not much time tonight and I was fiddling with camera & mount for all of the best viewing and shooting time (mucking about with the alignment, getting the right field etc) so I didn't devote much time to visual, not expecting to see anything anyway. By the time I got everything going the Moon had risen and the subs were pretty washed out. Negative shows it best, confirms my visual sighting as far as position goes:
http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/w...2012invert.jpg
Tomorrow should be better if the clouds hold off. Next few nights have potential for great images, as the tail passes over the LMC.
Cheers -