Tweedledee Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 (edited) Just had a quick look at Lovejoy in the 15x70s between fast moving clouds. It is much brighter tonight and very easy to find as a large round patch next to a 5th mag star. Checking in comparison with the Orion Nebula, the comet looked larger and of similar brightness if you were to imagine M42 without any stars in it. No tail visible, but I'd had little dark adaptation after watching TV. The darker sky background without the moon close in the sky, and its higher altitude helps along with its increasing brightness. Very pleased with the view tonight, but nearly got blown over by the wind! Edited January 9, 2015 by Tweedledee Johnnyaardvark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Bino-viewer Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Had a gap in the clouds around 22:00hrs......grabbed the 15x50 Canons, but alas, no joy....the comet is hiding in Derbys mega light pollution. (I'm a mile to the north of the city centre, so was looking due south towards Orion) But blowing a gale.....I've never seen clouds race by so quick. Will try again over the weekend. Also want to bag Venus + Mercury tomorrow too. Only 0.6 degrees apart..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted January 10, 2015 Author Share Posted January 10, 2015 Sorry you missed it Rob. It is a nice sight especially as it is in a fairly barren and otherwise uninteresting region of sky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted January 10, 2015 Author Share Posted January 10, 2015 Just realised that you are at Darley Abbey. Walked all around Darley Abbey Park last Sunday with the dogs, and had coffee at the cafe, very nice place Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Type-R Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Nicely done Pete, I'm hoping to bag it again as last time I saw it, was under full moon conditions. No way im getting the dob out in this wind though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted January 10, 2015 Author Share Posted January 10, 2015 Nicely done Pete, I'm hoping to bag it again as last time I saw it, was under full moon conditions. No way im getting the dob out in this wind though. You will like the look of it now Barring a full blown hurricane or tornado, I'll have it in the ST120 again tonight. Won't be leaving the scope to cool though, I'll be hanging on tight. It's stored in an unheated garage anyway, so should be pretty much ready to go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CodnorPaul Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Will be bins for me tonight given the wind and the short window - where am I looking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted January 10, 2015 Author Share Posted January 10, 2015 Look here... http://www.eastmidlandsstargazers.org.uk/topic/9234-how-where-to-see-comet-lovejoy-c2014-q2-during-january-2015/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CodnorPaul Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnnyaardvark Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Well done for getting out last night it was pretty barmy out there! Hope to have a look again tonight. Wind should drop a little but still quite blustery I think. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brantuk Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Just been outside on the drive - had a skim round and found Lovejoy dead easy - even her indoors found it after refocusing the diopters (dunno how she see's the tv lol). Very round and fuzzy with the faintest hint of a tail towards the 10 o'clock position. Tail hard to see but the comet is very obvious and crystal clear in IS L 10x42's. Highly recommended - see this link to find it: http://www.space.com/28196-comet-lovejoy-visible-eridanus-constellation.html Johnnyaardvark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 As you say Kim dead easy to see, took me 30 seconds to find it in 10x43's. Maybe even a hint of a tail as well. Best I've seen it so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAZ Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Just been out with the 15X70's, and found it straight away, I also got a hint of the tail at ten o' clock. It's pretty good, way better than the comet of the century ( ISON ) we were all chasing around this time last year. Johnnyaardvark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zidder Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Must be great to know what you are doing, have spent nearly 2hrs looking for it with, binos and dob not a sign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAZ Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Find the top two stars of Orion, Betelgeuse and Bellatrix, draw a line through these, move right to the next brightest star, and then again a little bit further again to what is the next brightest star, this is quite faint but is the only one in that area. The comet is just to the lower right of this, and clearly a fuzzy ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zidder Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Thanks Baz, I think I know where it should be, but once again I am getting confused because when I look in the area I am seeing quite a few objects, give me time I will get the hang of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 There will only be one fuzzy looking ball in that area, the rest will be stars that look completely different Gary. As soon as you come across it , you will know you have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zidder Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Mick, I think it is mainly me not being used to what I am seeing ( or just thick ) probably the latter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 Had a great view of Lovejoy in the ST120 last night. After a while and with averted vision, thought I could detect the tiniest amount of ovalness to the coma hinting at the tail, but it was so difficult, perhaps I imagined it. But really it was just a circular smudge brightening towards the centre with no colour seen at all. As I got more dark adapted I could see the comet with naked eye averted vision as a very faint but slightly bloated star. Had a look at a couple of dozen of my favourite DSO's in Orion and surrounding constellations, including a very pleasing view of reflection nebula Messier 78. It was an enjoyable couple of hours in the backyard, but soon after 10.15pm thin clouds started blowing over and the scope dewed up causing me to see Lovejoy like images everywhere I pointed the scope Johnnyaardvark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAZ Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 It wasn't as windy as I had expected last night, once I get over this bug, and feel a bit better, I reckon the Dob will bring out the best of it. Nice report Pete. How's your beastie coming along? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 Thanks Martyn. Looking forward to seeing your report of it using your 300P. My beastie is progressing slowly, but will I'm sure be well worth the effort in the end. I'm just suffering from a lack of spare time to get on with the mods. I just want to see first light with it all fully functional rather than half done. Maybe more incentive that way. Will be putting up a thread soon detailing the work. BAZ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Bino-viewer Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Pleased to report i've now bagged the aforementioned comet..... Last night was nice and clear here in light pollution central, and the gales that made observing difficult (but fun non the less) had subsided. Used my sons 10x30 bins first and found the comet in about 10 seconds. Switched to my own 15x50s and was treated to a nice round (greenish ?) fuzzy blob. Had a frustrating time earlier in the evening....I can't see the western horizon from here, so took a ten minute drive half an hour after sunset seeking the close conjunction between Mercury and Venus. It was beautifully clear, bur i reckon i got there 5 minutes too late..... Venus was there, but Mercury must have gone behind an annoying very low patch of cloud right near the horizon. Would have made a nice photo....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Glad you've seen the comet Rob. Pity you were a bit late for Mercury. I keep thinking I should have a look at the conjunction - after they've both set!! +Bino-viewer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zidder Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 (edited) Yaaay well my first success with new scope, Got Lovejoy Can die a happy man Edited January 16, 2015 by zidder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 Well done Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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