Comet McNaught (2006/P1) - discussions

[MaxinAus]

Amazing sight in Merimbula tonight, very bright and long tail. I took some shots of it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../cometMcN1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../cometMcN2.jpg

[bobtuc47]

We need the rain in South Oz but all of the clouds.I had a 5 second look with 10x50's .I ran to get the camera . It had gone when i got back! *+&^$#! clouds

[mickoking]

Its pretty awsome. I am going out again to take some more images as it is just starting to get dark out west.

[badabing82]

Hale-Bobb eat ur heart out. That was amazing just came in and this is just getting bettttter as it moves into darker skies the tail is amazinglyyyyyy longggg the beauty of this is it looks better naked eye then it does with either a telescope or binos amazingggggg......

[mickoking]

Originally Posted by badabing82

Hale-Bobb eat ur heart out. That was amazing just came in and this is just getting bettttter as it moves into darker skies the tail is amazinglyyyyyy longggg the beauty of this is it looks better naked eye then it does with either a telescope or binos amazingggggg......

I agree. This is naked eye stuff. I have only briefly observed it with a scope.

[WadeH (Wade)]

What can I say, I am just speachless after that. The tail must be all of about 50 degrees long and 12 or more wide. Is there going to be any end to this amazing spectical. I had no hope of fitting it all in the FOV for my 55mm lens on my SLR, film unfortunatly. I agree, forget the binoculars, it is definatly a naked eye event now. This is now day 7 of great viewing weather from Bullsbrook, Western Australia.

[WadeH (Wade)]

Oh, and by the way, how was that day old cresant moon next to Venus. Talk about a show tonight!

[AstroJunk (Jonathan)]

Originally Posted by badabing82

Hale-Bobb eat ur heart out. That was amazing just came in and this is just getting bettttter as it moves into darker skies the tail is amazinglyyyyyy longggg the beauty of this is it looks better naked eye then it does with either a telescope or binos amazingggggg......

I was lucky and still lived up north for H-B. McN has a way to go to beat it, but now that tail is developing it may just get there - and it's getting pretty close!!!

[MrB (Simon)]

Awesome views over the Sea from Rocko tonight.
Confirmed my belief from last night that I could see the tail curve right back down onto the horizon naked eye. No light polution out over the water

Used my crappy digital to show this, see the comet images thread.

[erick (Eric)]

Originally Posted by DaveR

...Arrived at airport to come home Friday night with an idea of seeking a window seat.......Get on the plane and found my whole row empty, so shuffled across straight after take off....Approximately midway into flight spotted the comet.....

I gave up all pretense of normal behaviour and put the blanket over my head to block all the stray light as I peered out the window.

Another nice thing was the pilot announced the view and nearly everyone on the plane had a good look. Only downside was that I did not have a camera.

Great report, Dave! Our world's gone mad! Don't you just love it!!

[glenc (Glen)]

The tail was about 30 degrees long last night with the naked eye.
It went from the coma to epsilon PsA which is 28.5 degrees in a straight line.
The distance around the curve was longer than that.
20/1/07 at 9pm. (GMT+11)

The second image by Vello Tabur shows it well.
http://members.tip.net.au/%7Evello/2006p1/2006p1.htm

[firstlight (Tony)]

Originally Posted by AstroJunk

I was lucky and still lived up north for H-B. McN has a way to go to beat it, but now that tail is developing it may just get there - and it's getting pretty close!!!

I didn't see H-B in the north, but I know from the images I've seen that that was a truely amazing object. For me Comet Hyakutake, the Great Comet of 1996, was the best one I have consiously observed. There was always Ikea-Seki when I was 4 yo and I didn't know what was following the Sun behind the hill near home... THAT day has stayed with me... I hope to see another like it. This one is very nice indeed.

Tony

[Astroman (Andrew Wall)]

Its a shame the earth doesnt pass through all that tail, would make an awesome Meteor Storm display... would exceed the 1933 - 1966 Leonids

[sharppete]

SAW COMET FOR 1ST TIME SAT 20TH CLEARLY VISABLE WITH NAKED EYE LONG TAIL AND VERY BRIGHT WILL IT BE VISABLE AGAIN TONIGHT 21ST.

[Ric]

Hi all, I finally got to see McNaught last night. The sky was clear of clouds and smoke haze and bingo there she was in all her glory , absolutely bloody fantastic, everything I had expected
I also had my scope set up and was treated to a great view of the nucleus as well
I am hoping that tonight will be clear as well and I'll have a go at some images as well . Unfortunately the clouds are back at the moment.

Cheers

[matt]

Wasn't it breathtaking, Ric?

I'm glad you got to see it last night, because last night was really something special.

[Ric]

Sure was Matt, I'm a happy chappy now.
It is definitely a sight not to be missed.

Cheers

[fringe_dweller]

after witnessing from darkish skies, the extent of the ill-defined part of larger part of the northern section of the glow/tail growing 40d+ plus in height and 50d+ to the north, and still growing!! when we left around 10:30 pm, one has to wonder how that will affect images and observations from all sorts of sources, of the southern objects as it becomes circumpolar, is this a new form of temporary lightpollution!? weird!

[CometGuy]

Had a marvelous view last night from near Warwick QLD. I saw Hyakutake near its best in perfect conditions and also Hale-Bopp under excellent conditions from the Rocky Mountains in the US and can definitely say that McNaught is a more spectacular comet than either comet. McNaughts tail is larger and brighter than either HB or Hyakutake.

It was a long time coming but we finally got the Great Southern Comet!

Terry

[mickoking]

I had another look last night. This comet continues to impress. I'll be back on the roof again tonight