Comet McNaught..viewing around Melbourne - Page 2

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #21 16-01-2007, 03:41 PM

We are surrounded by thunderclouds

cattikins · #22 16-01-2007, 03:46 PM

Awesome veiwing from Arthurs Seat, Dromana, if you don't mind the drive from Melbourne, unrestricted veiws to western skies from lookouts at various points up the hill.
I'll be at brighton tonight tho, hoping to see something smoke-free!

OneOfOne (Trevor) · #23 16-01-2007, 03:48 PM

Hmm, I know we need the rain, but do we have to get it right NOW? The sky in Melbourne is clearing at the moment, I have tried a couple of times but I still can't find it with the binoculars.

cattikins · #24 16-01-2007, 03:55 PM

It IS starting to look suspiciously cloudy.......
Have been trying with the binoculars all day but to no avail

astrocoast · #25 16-01-2007, 04:26 PM

Have just checked the BOM site (and looked out the office window). cloud building up - satellite image on BOM site shows increasing cloud.

It aint over yet

.
Am hoping the gods above us will be kind

Martin

erick (Eric) · #26 17-01-2007, 12:23 AM

Did anyone in Melbourne have a sucessful viewing Tuesday night? I was bayside and a strategically placed thick bank of cloud hid the comet, I'm sure. I could see the sun's location, I could see Venus, but I couldn't see the comet. I was convinced I had blue sky in the right location, but nothing - I scanned carefully with 12x60s. On Sunday, I picked it up quickly in the 12x60s though it was close to the Sun. So why not today - must have been behind the cloud.

Finn · #27 17-01-2007, 07:42 AM

I tried again last night from my spot in Kingsbury, near bundoora, and there were some strategically placed thunderclouds but with a lot of gaps. The main problem was what seemed to be a fire with a lot of smoke in the direction of Essendon (I think) which produced a thick band of smoke right on the horizon. Fate seems to think that I'm not going to see this thing. I'll be trying agin from the same location tonight.

janoskiss (Steve H) · #28 17-01-2007, 08:35 AM

Just caught Venus as it was disappearing behind clouds. No comet.

astrocoast · #29 17-01-2007, 09:54 AM

I was at Brighton last night - thick band of cloud but with little breaks in it - I got a glimpse , and i mean glimpse of the comet in a tiny break of the cloud.

I got quite excited but the clouds soon covered everything.

Venus was showing but again, the cloud cover soon covered her up. I stayed for about 3/4 hour after sunset but figured the comet would have been too low to the horizon and the cloud band ws quite thick along the horizon.

Daniel · #30 18-01-2007, 03:42 PM

Howdy folks,

Anyone know of any sky cams around Melbourne? I'm getting frustrated getting all my gear together, driving to a site only to find the West is clouded over.

Regards,

Daniel

astro_nutt · #31 18-01-2007, 04:04 PM

Hi daniel..
I don't know of any skycams around Melbourne..I just use the satellite images available from www.eldersweather.com.au
Yeah..I know it's frustrating...but it's still possilbe to view albiet not as bright as before!!!
Cheers!

Daniel · #32 18-01-2007, 04:45 PM

Cheers Astro,

There should be a law against cloud and haze when comets are around.

D

Daniel · #33 18-01-2007, 04:48 PM

Here's a site with Melb sky cams
http://homepages.picknowl.com.au/sta...erlinksvic.htm

D

danielsun · #34 18-01-2007, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel

Cheers Astro,

There should be a law against cloud and haze when comets are around.

D

Yes, i agree and

Daniel.

By the way, cool name!

astro_nutt · #35 18-01-2007, 05:09 PM

I agree Daniel..BTW good job finding the skycams/weather site for Melbourne!!

janoskiss (Steve H) · #36 18-01-2007, 05:12 PM

Welcome Daniel! Thanks for that useful link.

mojo (Terry) · #37 18-01-2007, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel

Here's a site with Melb sky cams
http://homepages.picknowl.com.au/sta...erlinksvic.htm

The first link, http://webcam.omni.net.au has been "Temporarily Undergoing Maintenance" for months. Which is a shame, they used to have great views of Melbourne to every direction.

andrew · #38 19-01-2007, 12:28 AM

I went up to Maryborough in central Victoria on Tuesday evening only to see a completely clouded sky

I've only seen McNaught once, last Sunday evening, nothing since then.

But isn't this comet meant to be visible for the rest of January?? Is there still hope?!?!

erick (Eric) · #39 19-01-2007, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrew

I went up to Maryborough in central Victoria on Tuesday evening only to see a completely clouded sky

I've only seen McNaught once, last Sunday evening, nothing since then.

But isn't this comet meant to be visible for the rest of January?? Is there still hope?!?!

Yes, patience is required - and it's going to be spectacular in the night sky - I can just feel it! But it was also nice to see it in the daylight hours last Sunday evening - a real excitement to see something other than the sun and the moon in daylight!

andrew · #40 19-01-2007, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erick

Yes, patience is required - and it's going to be spectacular in the night sky - I can just feel it! But it was also nice to see it in the daylight hours last Sunday evening - a real excitement to see something other than the sun and the moon in daylight!

It really was a great sight, and hopefully the show isn't over. I've just done some promising reading:

Quote:

The comet remains visible to Southern Hemisphere observers in both the morning and evening sky, entering the constellation Microscopium on 18 January, but fading rapidly and dropping below 6th magnitude by 09 Feb. However, observers are encouraged to watch closely, as sungrazing comets often break up shortly after perihelion and flare dramatically.

Source: Wikipedia

Quote:

This placed the comet on the "sun-grazer" category and a prime candidate to be split apart by the Sun's gravitational pull.

Source: Scoop.co.nz