Comet Temple 1 (p9)

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Down in Melbourne , good viewing nights are too rare to waste messing about with computers, cables and equipment. Visual all the way

Was a good night. Thanks to Dave for showing us pluto and the comet, your a champ

[fringe_dweller]

Nice reports! enjoyed them thanks - saves me freezing my butt of and getting sick! (which unfortunately happens now in my middle age sometimes if i do to much breathing in frigid night air - so i have to pace myself these days - either that or give up smoking - dying for a drag? - when is anyone going to invent a breathing air warmer? you can wear all the cold weather gear you want it seems - but its the air you breathe in that lowers your core temperature the most/worst)
Mike Holloway in the US is doing a great job (as usual!) of following/imaging 9P - if you didnt already know this - here is his webpage
http://hometown.aol.com/tricks46/myh...mtbrand=AOL_US
Just scroll down to his 9P/Tempel 1 section and click on new - I think the central condensations might be a little bit exaggerated via burning in with the CD - not sure? and of course there is some tiny parallax position differences i suppose due to our different positions on the globe with respect to comet. But still a great guide!
Cheers
Fringey

[Dave47tuc (David)]

Hi
I know this is off topic on the original thread.
But i did mention it, seeing Pluto last Friday night.

I was able to confirm last night with the 18" scope that we had infact observed Pluto.

Observed for 6 hours with the 18" last night

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Woo Hoo. That's one to put in the log books Good one Dave

[fringe_dweller]

Dave, Pluto is one of my fave objects - a long time ago (in a galaxy far away) some friends and I used to like to do allnighter '9 planet marathons' from a dark sky site and I looked at Pluto often in my 8" eits dob I had at the time (wish I had never sold that one) and in the end I really thought that Pluto looked different to stars - the stars are a rather diamond hard light point - but to me Pluto had a sort of a bit softer (typically planetlike) pastelly look to it? I have called it a chalky pearl before. Anyone else agree with me - or am i just stark raving mad?
Just to make for being off topic - i have been following a great thread on comets-ml and there is much discussion on what instrument is appropriate for a correct scientific visual observation/magnitude of this comet - the verdict seems to be for large aperture binos at the mo - with which some people are getting a size of up to 7 arc minutes diameter apparently.
Sorry i am no good at the snappy, terse, minimalist replies that are all the rage it appears. - or is that just good nettiquette?
Longwinded is the only style i know so far i am not a typical laconic Ozzie as you can see.
Kearn
Madder than mad Jack McMad

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Long winded is good Kearn. Especially when you've go something to say. Short winded if for support and affirmation. You may have notice I like to get a head of steam up at times. The problems stopping me

[fringe_dweller]

Thanks Paul - I should have a weather warning alert with some of my posts
Kearn