OT Comet McNaught (MOVED)

[kings11]

Totally off-topic, but with a high neat-o factor.

oh, wait, to tie it into 300'ville, I drove up an icy road to get to the observing spot and my 300C handled very well on slick ground!

~~~~~~~~~~~

I took these photos from the top of Mt. Scott (in SE Portland Oregon). We had a very clear horizon with wide open views. The Comet was REALLY impressive (more than the photos show). It was bright enough to be seen in pretty bright twilight.

Friday (tonight) is probably the last chance to get a view. It's just north of where the sun sets and is located (about) a "fist-width at arm's length" above the horizon when the sun sets. This guideline will depend how flat your horizon is. I had hills in the distance.

However, the Comet is bright enough that if it's in view, you can't miss it! It first came into view last night at 5:12 p.m. PST and dropped down behind the hills at 5:35 p.m. PST. It'll be slightly earlier tonight.

Try for a look if you can.

For "professional photos" go to sky and telescope (look for Comet gallery):
http://skytonight.com/

BW image


Color image


Sorry that the processing isn't great, I'm 2 weeks into my first SLR camera. Friday night may be the last shot at seeing the brightest comet in 30 years.

Photo Geek Talk (for the color shot before crop)
Nikon D50
Lens: 55-200mm F/4-5.6 G
Focal Length: 200mm
1/10 sec - F/5.6
Sensitivity: ISO 800
Time: 5:29 p.m. 1/11/07

Scott (I have NO idea what the text above means in regards to the camera!)

[vvv90]

Kings, that is great!

I didn't even know a comet was in close orbit with us.

[srt8danno]

Very impressive photography Kings! I too didn’t know there was a comet that close to our orbit. Thanks for sharing about your 300C’s ability to handle those slick encounters.

[pipsmom]

Nice photos kings
what is a slr camera?

[kings11]

Originally Posted by pipsmom

Nice photos kings
what is a slr camera?

Oh, an SLR camera is one that has a body and allows you to interchange different lenses. It usually has more settings than a point and click camera.

I'm using a Nikon D-50 that I got on my b-day (Jan. 1). So I'm new to all this jazz.

Scott

[srt8danno]

I wonder if I’m low enough in latitude (26) to be able and catch it as it begins to favor the southern hemisphere. The article does mention lower latitudes might be able to see it on the 13th - maybe 14th

[kings11]

Originally Posted by srt8danno

I wonder if I’m low enough in latitude (26) to be able and catch it as it begins to favor the southern hemisphere. The article does mention lower latitudes might be able to see it on the 13th - maybe 14th

I hope you can get out and look for it. It's supposed to brighten up significantly and I'd love a report from a "southern" observer.

How about you Aussies?! What'cha seeing?

Scott T

[srt8danno]

I looked but I was never able to see it where they said to look. We still might be a bit too far north. Oh well…your pictures were certainly outstanding.

I think you should photoshop your 300 into one of them and submit it for the next calendar. You could have your 300 flying along with it or something like that.

[Hemi57]

Originally Posted by kings11

I hope you can get out and look for it. It's supposed to brighten up significantly and I'd love a report from a "southern" observer.

How about you Aussies?! What'cha seeing?

Scott T

I must say this is the first I have heard about the comet. There has been no mention of it that i have noticed in the local media.

Let me do a little research and I'll let you know.

EDIT after research:

I discovered the following description for any Aussie that can try and view this comet:

By Jan 16, the effect of forward scattering will have dropped back to about zero and the comet will already be heading away from the Sun and Earth; back to the obscurity of the Oort cloud. Although now clearly fading, it will be moving higher into the southern sky away from the sun. At sunset on the 16th, the comet will be about 10 degrees from the sun and just left of directly above the Sun at sunset. It will set 54 mins after the sun, 9 degrees to the left of the sunset point.

From Jan 17 onwards, the comet, although fainter, should be well visible in the darker skies. It then moves into the SW sky at roughly a 45 deg angle up to the left of the sunset point. The angular distance of the comet from sun at the time of sunset from Sydney then increases on a daily basis:

Jan 17 12deg
18 15deg
19 17deg

after which date the head of the comet will set when the sun has already passed more than 18 degrees below the horizon (astronomical darkness).