Comet 45p

[Tweedledee]

I managed to glimpse comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova last night 2nd January in 15x70 bins.

 

Went out just after 5pm to the front driveway as this would give the view nearest the horizon in the south west. I knew exactly where the comet would be and soon star hopped from Venus to 4th mag theta capricorni which was only just visible at first in the bright twilight with the bins. I knew the comet was about 1.5 degrees below theta at about 7th mag. I spent a lot of time hiding and shielding my eyes from streetlights and the odd passing car trying to get better dark adapted. Gradually, fainter stars became visible and at about 5.45pm, only a minute or so before the comet slid behind a rooftop did I make a positive id of a very difficult fuzzy patch. 

[Smithysteve]

Nice report Pete, it nice to see the occasional comet isn't it ?

I had the same idea after seeing Orion's (Dereks) post.

Last night I ended up all over my garden, on top of benches and tables to get to see low enough through trees and dodging bushes etc using my 11x80 helios stellar bins and like you waiting for the twilight to deepen. Got there in the end and was rewarded with a faint fuzzy ball that had to be 45p. There are a couple of other comets in the area but at too faint a magnitude to see with my bins. Most satisfying!

Will have another go given the chance...

cheers! ?

Edited January 3, 2017 by Smithysteve

[Tweedledee]

14 minutes ago, Smithysteve said:

Last night I ended up all over my garden, on top of benches and tables to get to see low enough through trees and dodging bushes etc

Just like me, sneaking around in the night crouching behind cars and trees to shield my eyes from streetlights. I wonder what our neighbours thought to our antics if they'd been watching Steve. 

[Smithysteve]

1 hour ago, Tweedledee said:

Just like me, sneaking around in the night crouching behind cars and trees to shield my eyes from streetlights. I wonder what our neighbours thought to our antics if they'd been watching Steve. 

 

I used to take the bins out with me when walking the dog, but kept em under my coat in case someone got the wrong idea! 

i think the neighbors are used to the 'nutter'with a dome in his garden lurking in the shadows .

Likewise with you, and most others on this site no doubt ?

[stash]

20 minutes ago, Smithysteve said:

 

I used to take the bins out with me when walking the dog, but kept em under my coat in case someone got the wrong idea! 

i think the neighbors are used to the 'nutter'with a dome in his garden lurking in the shadows .

Likewise with you, and most others on this site no doubt ?

Just keep a look out for the men in white coats and that harness thingy. Perhaps the comet will be easier to see around the 22 jan with no moon and a little higher in the sky. I had a go but too low and would have needed a chain saw as tree's in the way - as I am not prepared to nip into the field with a pair of bins any more since "comments" were made by "herself". 

[Tweedledee]

7 hours ago, stash said:

Just keep a look out for the men in white coats and that harness thingy. Perhaps the comet will be easier to see around the 22 jan with no moon and a little higher in the sky. I had a go but too low and would have needed a chain saw as tree's in the way - as I am not prepared to nip into the field with a pair of bins any more since "comments" were made by "herself". 

Harness thingy - you mean a straitjacket - don't like that idea. 

 

I think you'll find that it doesn't actually get any higher up than it is now. Although it is moving several degrees higher over the next few weeks, the sun is closing in on it rapidly while the comet fades slightly. So I reckon that it is about as good as it gets right now, and it definitely isn't spectacular in the bins. So catch it very soon.