Comet watching

[Ianab]

Any one else been out to look at comet McNaught?

We went out last night, even got some pictures befoe the clouds moved in.

Ian

[Gumby]

Haven't heard about it here. Maybe we cant see it but it looks awsome.

better than the Non Event of the 20th Century...Halley's.

[craigb]

It was at its brightest in Sydney on Monday evening. I tried to have a look from my place but I couldn't see anything.

I think that I didn't have a clear enough view of the horizon.

From the pics I saw in the newspaper it looked pretty unspectacular.

[ozwinner]

If it wasnt cloudy we could see it here..

Al :cool:

[AlexS]

Does anyone remember the name of the comet that was around in the late 1960s or very early 1970s? It appeared about half the diameter of the moon, with a tail - much bigger than anything since, but there was hardly any interest in it.

[Ianab]

You should be able to see it, I've seen some pics of it taken from Aussie.

Look to the southwest just after sun sets, it about an outstretched hand span to the left and above where the sun sets.

It's fading now but should be visible for another week or so, especially as it will still be above the horizon during full darkness. I have seen some pics of it taken during full daylight, thats how bright it was a few days ago!!

Ian

[Ianab]

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070118.html

A better shot of it, taken a couple of nights ago from Levin, NZ

It's fairly impressive, I saw the one that Alexs is thinking of, that was better than this one, but this is the best one since then.

Ian

[China]

Halley,s was only a non event to those who watched at the wrong time, my late brother and I took some great pics

[Gumby]

Halley,s was only a non event to those who watched at the wrong time, my late brother and I took some great pics

Bulltish. It was nothing but a smudge in the sky.

If you have a good pic, please post it.

[ozwinner]

I remember Halley's well as it was the year my dad died, and as Gumby said it was a non event.

Al :(

[craigb]

Halley,s was only a non event to those who watched at the wrong time, my late brother and I took some great pics

Trouble is that the right time was probably 1910 instead of 1986. :rolleyes:

My memory says it was a fairly small smudge. Hardly bigger than a normal star.

Like Gumby says, post the great pics.

[oldbob13]

My wife's late grandmother saw Haley's Comet twice.
See remembered that the first time, obviously as a child, she ran screaming into the house at the sight of it. The second time we had to use binoculars just to see it. Yep last time was a fizzer.
BobT

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Bulltish. It was nothing but a smudge in the sky.

If you have a good pic, please post it.

We have some good pix of it around here somehere, too. Made with time lapse exposure and a motorised mount.

But as far as 'twas s'posed to be a grand ol' sight for the nekkid eyeball... Ptui! What a fizzler! :(

[Gumby]

My wife's late grandmother saw Haley's Comet twice.
See remembered that the first time, obviously as a child, she ran screaming into the house at the sight of it. The second time we had to use binoculars just to see it. Yep last time was a fizzer.
BobT

So did my grandmother, who i think was 12 at the time (she lived to be 99).

But you have to remember, the memories of a 12 year old get bigger over the years. I remember being at primary school on a day of total eclipse. We were told not to look at the sun and I was so scared, i went outside and covered my eyes thinking I'd go blind if i didn't. My memories of that day far exceed the reality.

It's the same with most stories. They get embellished with the telling.

[Honorary Bloke]

We were told not to look at the sun and I was so scared, i went outside and covered my eyes thinking I'd go blind if i didn't.

Odd that. I was told that something else would make me go blind. :rolleyes:

There was a good feature on our telly last Sunday regarding how our memories change as we age. It seems that we alter them slightly again and again over time to fit what we want them to be. Ask two blokes who were at the same event 25 years after how they remember it and get two very different stories.

[ss_11000]

i was out at meansy_wood's place and we saw the commet. looked pretty cool and we saw it 2 nights in a row:cool:. we didn't take pics though.

cheers

[Gumby]

Odd that. I was told that something else would make me go blind. :rolleyes:

I knew I'd get that response from somebody..just didn't know who it was going to be (Grunt was my first guess) :U

[Flowboy]

All I can say is remember "Day of the Triffids":oo:

[Terry B]

I''ve been on holidays in Coffs Harbour. I can't think of a more useless spot to try to see the western horizon at dusk. Cloud every night and mountains in the road. I did however win a raffle at the botanic gardens and came home with a very nice red cedar clock.
Home tonight I took the pic in this thread.
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=43873
It is really quite bright easily seen with the naked eye. To find it you need a low western horizon. Find venus first. It is the very bright "star" low in the west. The comet is about 3 extended hands breadths to the south of venus at about the same level above the horizon. It will be in about the same spot for the next few days.

[Gumby]

I'' It will be in about the same spot for the next few days.

I thought they kept moving :?

[WoodGirl]

I thought they kept moving :?

It heard about a green, non believing earthling and decided to hang around for a bit to annoy him :D

[Terry B]

I thought they kept moving :?
They do keep moving and it will rise higher in the sky each night but will get correspondingly dimmer as it moves further away from the sun. However from a practical viewpoint it will be in a similar position each night just a little bit higher. The chart explains.

[Gumby]

They do keep moving and it will rise higher in the sky each night but will get correspondingly dimmer as it moves further away from the sun. However from a practical viewpoint it will be in a similar position each night just a little bit higher. The chart explains.

chomp ! :D:U

[Ianab]

Latest pics, actually from Aussie, but from an astronomy type person.

Very COOL pic :cool:

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070122.html

Cheers

Ian

[Terry B]

Latest pics, actually from Aussie, but from an astronomy type person.

Very COOL pic :cool:

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070122.html

Cheers

Ian
I suppose this is true. The photos are actually taken by the comets discover Rob Mcnaught from the Anglo Australian Observatory (AAO) in Coonabarrabran. You could call him "an astronomy type person."
See here http://msowww.anu.edu.au/~rmn/C2006P1new.htm
for more details about the images. Pretty amazing stuff.

[silentC]

Didn't realise it was still around. Had a look at it last weekend and the tail was very short. It was only just above the horizon for about half an hour or so. Hard to pick out with the naked eye but you could see the tail though binoculars.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Does anyone remember the name of the comet that was around in the late 1960s or very early 1970s? It appeared about half the diameter of the moon, with a tail - much bigger than anything since, but there was hardly any interest in it.

I heard that McNaught is the brightest comet to have been visible in Australia (if not ever them in our lifetimes)
So the one you saw must have been in the Seventies Alex, I saw a lot of them too...... all different colours and shapes...wow man that brings back memories:D

The last one I saw was Hale-Bop. Every evening it put on a lovely show I was on one of the Togian Islands in Sulawasi on my honeymoon...Ahhh how romantic.

[Shedhand]

I got kicked in the head by a drunken hoon once....saw stars for a week....:D

[Bleedin Thumb]

better than the Non Event of the 20th Century...Halley's.


And here's me thinking that the Non Event of the 20th Century was the Y2K bug!

The only time all you IT fella's got one over us. No wonder that your all as popular as a fart in the bath.

[duckman]

Comet McNaught is clearly visible over Melbourne tonight. :)

Its at about 210 degrees, magnetic or three and a bit hand spans south ( to the left of the Moon) and about two lengths of the moon lower than the moon. It can be clearly seen with the naked eye but a pair of binoculars is very much better.:2tsup:

[fred.n]

clearly visable at the moment, to the south-west

[Malibu]

I went out for some 'quick relief' last night at about 10:30, totally forgetting about the comet. Just gazing around marveling at the bright stars (like I usualy do on a clear night) I was mesmerised by the comet in the south. :D
A nice bright pin-prick of light and a massive tail that I couldn't even judge the length of! The digital camera failed dismaly so I loaded up the SLR and took 18 snaps. It remains to be seen how they come out, but even so, really glad I caught sight of it! :2tsup:

[Shedhand]

just saw it at 9.58pm. The clouds cleared long enough. It was to the left of Mt Wellington and right above Hobart. Brilliant. Even better with binoculars. Uber cool. :2tsup:

[hansp77]

When Haley's Comet came past I was at our place in the hills behind by home town of Byron Bay (Coorabell/Goonengerry),
It was absolutely incredible. It was massive in the sky and bright and clear as the moon, clearly visable with the naked eye.
That same week my sister and I flew down to Melbourne to stay with our relatives. We went imediatly way out of melbourne into the country where the air was really clear with a BIG telescope. All we could see through that was a pathetic little smudge.
I cannot emphasise enought the difference.
I am not sure why, but obviously some got it better than others.
I haven't seen this one yet, but compared to what I saw of Haley's, I could not imagine it possibly being better.

Hans.

[Gumby]

It was absolutely incredible. It was massive in the sky and bright and clear as the moon, clearly visable with the naked eye.

It was the moon :rolleyes:

[craigb]

Either that or the, ahem, "local produce" was affecting the viewing. :D

[dadpad]

Now that the bushfire smoke has finally cleared, we (family) had a look at the comet last night. Pretty amazing. Tried some photos with various settings on the digital camera but nothing good came out so we used the pentax SLR on the B setting for 30 seconds and 1 minute. Hope we got some good shots.

[zenwood]

I took two of the boys to see it at the beach on Monday, and I saw no tail, just looked like a normal star above the sun after sunset. Might have another look tonight.

[Shedhand]

Anyone know what time it will be visible tonite in Hobart?

[Ianab]

Should still be best just after sunset.
It's not as bright as it was, but it's higher in the sky and you can still see it once it gets fully dark. Just look up about 45 deg left of where the sun sets.

Cheers

Ian

[duckman]

I took two of the boys to see it at the beach on Monday, and I saw no tail, just looked like a normal star above the sun after sunset. Might have another look tonight.
I don't wish to be rude but is there any chance that you were looking at the planet Venus and not the comet? Venus is low in the western sky at the moment and is very bright but no tail. :)

[zenwood]

I don't wish to be rude but is there any chance that you were looking at the planet Venus and not the comet? Venus is low in the western sky at the moment and is very bright but no tail. :)
Always possible I suppose, but I saw nothing else that looked more like a comet, and this was visible way before any other stars were.

I went and had another look last night. No sign of a tail. Pushing my little camera to the max on a tripod, I got the attached pics. I assume from the irregular shape that it's the comet (though I didn't try taking another of a star to check what it looked like). Those photos showing a spectacular tail, I assume must have been taken with powerful lenses, time exposures, etc...?

[dadpad]

Always possible I suppose, but I saw nothing else that looked more like a comet, and this was visible way before any other stars were.

Those photos showing a spectacular tail, I assume must have been taken with powerful lenses, time exposures, etc...?

Not so Zen The comet is unmistakeable, huge long silvery tail easily visible to the naked eye. If it was visible I dont see how you could miss it. you are looking in the right place so perhaps your latitude has something to do with it.

BTW how does one get star/comet type photos to work on a digital. We have an olympus 500. Its got a setting for night time/low light photography but I couldnt get anything to show up.

[duckman]

Always possible I suppose, but I saw nothing else that looked more like a comet, and this was visible way before any other stars were.

I went and had another look last night. No sign of a tail. Pushing my little camera to the max on a tripod, I got the attached pics. I assume from the irregular shape that it's the comet (though I didn't try taking another of a star to check what it looked like). Those photos showing a spectacular tail, I assume must have been taken with powerful lenses, time exposures, etc...?
The tail is quite distinct, you really can't miss it. Venus goes through phases like our moon so judging by your photos I'd say you were looking at Venus.
Look to the left of Venus in the direction of SSW and about one hand span above the horizon and you should see comet McNaught. :)

HTH,

Mark.

[Gumby]

I saw it tonight around 9.30

Not bad but seen one comet, seen 'em all.:cool:

[ozwinner]

I saw it tonight around 9.30

Not bad but seen one comet, seen 'em all.:cool:


Yeah we made the pilgrimage to the hill to see it too.

Al :U

[Ianab]

BTW how does one get star/comet type photos to work on a digital. We have an olympus 500. Its got a setting for night time/low light photography but I couldnt get anything to show up.


Tricky with the little consumer digitals. If you try the long exposures that you need the electronic noise from the CCD sensor drowns out the picture. The better digital cameras (usually DSLR ones) have better sensors that can do the 10-30 sec exposures.

The pics I took were with a Pentax film SLR - I think about 8 seconds with 400 ASA film. My cheapy digital just wasn't up to it :-

Ian

[Terry1]

We first seen the comet last Sunday night and it was brilliant here.It is still very clear from just after sunset but nothing like it was.The weather has been in our favour with very clear dark skies.I'm not sure how the kids like it with the local lover's lanes,hilltop look outs etc filled with people looking at the comet.Regards Terry

[zenwood]

has *anyone* in SA seen the comet with a tail?

my pics were taken with a basic digital camera using delayed trigger on a tripod. still only about 1/2 s exposure: it doesn't have 'bulb' capability.

[Terry B]

Always possible I suppose, but I saw nothing else that looked more like a comet, and this was visible way before any other stars were.

I went and had another look last night. No sign of a tail. Pushing my little camera to the max on a tripod, I got the attached pics. I assume from the irregular shape that it's the comet (though I didn't try taking another of a star to check what it looked like). Those photos showing a spectacular tail, I assume must have been taken with powerful lenses, time exposures, etc...?
These are pictures of Venus.
I took some photos tonight with my big medium format camera but will have to get them developed. It is not as bright as it was. I had to wait until venus had almost set to see it with the naked eye. It is 3-4 extended handsbreadths to the south of venus and about 1 handsbreadth higher above the horizon. The tail was obvious and spans about 10degrees up above the comet head pointing somewhat to the south.
See my finder chart here
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=38700
It will be close enough for most of the southern half of Oz.

[Terry B]

has *anyone* in SA seen the comet with a tail?

my pics were taken with a basic digital camera using delayed trigger on a tripod. still only about 1/2 s exposure: it doesn't have 'bulb' capability.
You will need a much longer exposure than that. I tried with 4 secs through my little digital camera tonight with no success. I took 30 sec and 60 sec exposure with my film camera and hope they will be OK.

[Terry1]

It was still clearly visable here to-night again but it is fading,and I think there is maybe only a couple of days left to see it.That would make it a full week since it first became visable,pretty extraordinary really.Regards Terry.

[zenwood]

if my pic is of venus, and i have to wait till it sets, then that would be a good hour or two later, about 11 pm ??

[Ianab]

Have a look once it's fully dark, the comet is a little higher than Venus and over to the left. Last week you could first see the comet about 5 mins after Venus became visible, but it's fading now and you will need to wait till it's much darker.

Haven't seen it for a few days.. clouds :-

Cheers

Ian

[Terry B]

if my pic is of venus, and i have to wait till it sets, then that would be a good hour or two later, about 11 pm ??
No, Venus sets about 2100hrs

[Ianab]

Visible tonight in NZ, but much fainter, 9:50 here :rolleyes:

Cheers

Ian

[duckman]

Spaceweather.com http://spaceweather.com/ is hosting some nice pictures of comet McNaught. Here's a link to a very nice picture taken from Sydney on Australia Day.

http://spaceweather.com/comets/mcnaught/26jan07/Vavra1.jpg

Cheers,

Mark.