Comet C/2011 L4 PANSTARRS

MikeD22

If you have sky map on your phone look for Andromeda, the comet is just to the right of it slightly but it will be very faint through binoculars so easy to miss.

mickmackey1

The tail if anything seems more pronounced tonight, its unmissable in 15x70s virtually side by side with M31; we may never again see a comet in the same field of view as the great galaxy, beautiful stuff!

emo72

what time does it set tomorrow guys? and whats the best time to start looking for it? obviously we are waiting for the suns influence to wane but not too long as it will be too low in the sky.

Iancar29

Through binoculars guys ( well in the Dublin region anyways) , M31 and Panstarrs are just faint glows now . Only showing up well on exposures imo.

Heres my attempt at a widefield shot tonight. Surprised i was able to bring out the milky way in it too even though i was only just up near the airport taking this

15x20 seconds , 10 darks , 10 flats. ISO 1600



FLICKR

2 stroke

emo72 wrote: »

what time does it set tomorrow guys? and whats the best time to start looking for it? obviously we are waiting for the suns influence to wane but not too long as it will be too low in the sky.

Is it still setting? Pretty sure I saw it at 3am this morning. Viewing due north from tipperary, clear sky, very little light polution, thought I saw something naked eye, looked with Lidl binos, definitly comet shaped. Right position relative to cassiopeia.

ZeRoY

2 stroke wrote: »

Is it still setting? Pretty sure I saw it at 3am this morning. Viewing due north from tipperary, clear sky, very little light polution, thought I saw something naked eye, looked with Lidl binos, definitly comet shaped. Right position relative to cassiopeia.

Would be well gone below horizon by 3am! The window is from 6pm to 11pm I would think with the earlier part depending on skies darkness/cover (seen someone imaging the comet yesterday at 6pm!)

Tzetze

2 stroke wrote: »

Is it still setting? Pretty sure I saw it at 3am this morning. Viewing due north from tipperary, clear sky, very little light polution, thought I saw something naked eye, looked with Lidl binos, definitly comet shaped. Right position relative to cassiopeia.

ZeRoY wrote: »

Would be well gone below horizon by 3am! The window is from 6pm to 11pm I would think with the earlier part depending on skies darkness/cover (seen someone imaging the comet yesterday at 6pm!)

Actually it doesn't go below the horizon these days at all. The lowest it gets to is about 5.5 degrees above the horizon - due North at 1am last night. By 3am it was at about 10 degrees above the horizon - due NNE.

ZeRoY

Tzetze wrote: »

Actually it doesn't go below the horizon these days at all. The lowest it gets to is about 5.5 degrees above the horizon - due North at 1am last night. By 3am it was at about 10 degrees above the horizon - due NNE.

:eek: Cool, didnt realise!!

seven_eleven

Going to attempt to view this with the naked eye today. What would be the best time to try and see it?

emo72

Booyaa. Just back in and spotted it. What a super night for observing. Took me about an hour to find it, massive light pollution by the n4 motorway. Spotted it with 15x80 binos. Andromeda and comet in the same field of view. Super.

blackbird99

just seen it, almost directly north at 11pm.


317 by blackbird1973, on Flickr

2 stroke

Tzetze wrote: »

Actually it doesn't go below the horizon these days at all. The lowest it gets to is about 5.5 degrees above the horizon - due North at 1am last night. By 3am it was at about 10 degrees above the horizon - due NNE.

Thanks Tzetze, binos were just 10x50 and I wasn't viewing from home so just guessing north. 3 am viewing is great in my area, all my neighbours have their outside lights off. What amases me is I actually saw it naked eye, just a slight v shaped blur, before going for binos.

MeteoritesEire

finally saw it last night also through 10 x 42 binos and 20 x 70's .Gorgeous night for viewing last night though I couldn't pick it out naked eye and it's dark here in Donegal

emo72

i take it this is too faint to see now?

lolie

emo72 wrote: »

i take it this is too faint to see now?

I found it easily with the bino's at the weekend.
Good chance of clear skies tonight but i suspect the moon may be to bright.
Heres and idea of where to look.