Comet Tuttle!

[Domol (Domenic)]

Had a look at comet tuttle last night and WOW! really big & bright for a periodic comet. Periodic comets are usualy small and dim. I didn't even know it was visble and just saw it in the lastest addition of AS&T. There was no major warning in the last additions of the magazines last year, and i'm only an occassional / casual user of ICE forum due to work commitements etc etc... (there was a thread about the comet in December/jan that i missed). (Sorry not complainingbut) Who would like email alerts from ICE for interesting / sudden objects, like this brighter than normal comet)? i'd be interested in an email if something like a nova appears or comets etc. just an idea. Thanks for your comment.
Domenic

[Greg Bryant]

Hello Domol,

Just to clarify Australian Sky & Telescope magazine's coverage of comet Tuttle, which only became visible for most of Australia at the end of December (it was a far northern object for much of late last year).

- Nov/Dec 2007: We gave a teaser of what lay ahead.

- Jan/Feb 2008 (on sale December 12): Nearly a full page on Tuttle itself for the January-February period, the prime time to observe the comet.

- Mar/Apr 2008 (the latest issue): Following Tuttle out.

Regards,
Greg

[Outbackmanyep]

Its always best to keep an eye on forums such as this! As bright comets can unexpectedly turn up and although Comet 8P/ Tuttle has been around for the last couple of months in the Southern Skies there has been plenty of discussion about it. Being a well known periodic comet, unless it goes through an outburst it won't generally pull much interest other than those interested in comets already.
Glad you found it!! If you really wanted to you could sketch what you see through the eyepiece (comet and background stars) and do it again a few hours later and you'll actually notice it moving! Great way to keep the interest going!

Alternatively you could subscribe to Yahoo Comets Group mailing list, or visit www.comethunter.de for updated discoveries and observations of comets.
The Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams website also has updated information on Novae and Asteroids etc. http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/cbat.html

[Domol (Domenic)]

i think my jan issue of AS&T got buried somewhere because i don't remember the article, so i apologse to AS&T. i think the yahoo group is a good idea too, as i subsribe to other groups there too. thks
Domenic

[iceman (Mike)]

Hi Dominic.

IceInSpace usually does send out email alerts when bright comets are visible, or other important astronomical events, like the partial solar eclipse, lunar eclipses etc.

I remember sending one out about comets Tuttle and Holmes. If you didn't receive it, make sure the email address attached to your account is valid, and make sure that IceInSpace email is not being sent to the spam bin etc.

Glad you found it after all that!