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Comet NeoWise

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13

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    #62
    cnocbui
    Registered Users Posts: 19,678 ✭✭✭✭cnocbui


    telecaster wrote: »
    While looking to see neowise last night in very clear skies in the midlands last night I saw something move from east to west between the plough and the northern horizon lasting about one minute and leaving a long tail with the intensity of the light fading throughout that minute. Would have been about 11.15pm.

    Any ideas what I saw? Anyone else see it?

    I am now almost certain it was the ISS in my photo above and suspect that is what you possibly also saw. If you paste 2020-07-19 23:17:30 into the Lookup field here, you will see the ISS position and track from WSW towards ENE at that time.

    I noticed it while taking a photo of Jupiter :

    Jupiter-2-2.jpg


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    #63
    iLikeWaffles
    Registered Users Posts: 4,325 ✭✭✭iLikeWaffles


    cnocbui wrote: »
    I am now almost certain it was the ISS in my photo above and suspect that is what you possibly also saw. If you paste 2020-07-19 23:17:30 into the Lookup field here, you will see the ISS position and track from WSW towards ENE at that time.

    I noticed it while taking a photo of Jupiter :

    Jupiter-2-2.jpg

    Telephoto lens or telescope? Got my first fairly decent one of Jupiter attached to the telescope there the other night.

    520574.jpg

    I will probably try it again with the same settings but double expose at a higher ISO and mask the moons in as a layer. That was about 1820mm prime focus iso 200 1/3sec exposure. Seeing was pretty bad that night also. Colder air temperatures will be better, I hope.


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    #64
    telecaster
    Registered Users Posts: 528 ✭✭✭telecaster


    Definitely wasn't the ISS although I did see that earlier in the evening.

    The object I saw was passing from the east to the west, opposite direction to ISS.

    A meteor from the Perseids shower seems most likely, though I've never seen a meteor last so long, it was spectacular.

    I love the Jupiter and moons photo, I took one very similar myself last night too - the first time I've managed to get them captured. Delighted with it :)


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    #65
    cnocbui
    Registered Users Posts: 19,678 ✭✭✭✭cnocbui


    iLikeWaffles wrote: »
    Telephoto lens or telescope? Got my first fairly decent one of Jupiter attached to the telescope there the other night.

    I will probably try it again with the same settings but double expose at a higher ISO and mask the moons in as a layer. That was about 1820mm prime focus iso 200 1/3sec exposure. Seeing was pretty bad that night also. Colder air temperatures will be better, I hope.

    Telephoto lens - FF equivalent focal length 360mm F2 - 180mm f2 FF lens on a micro 4/3 camera. I think I overexposed it a bit. :)


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    #66
    Gregor Samsa
    Registered Users Posts: 8,908 ✭✭✭Gregor Samsa


    50133710181_19121157b2_b.jpg

    This was my first attempt at stacking. 31 shots, each taken at 100mm, f2.8, 3.2 seconds, ISO 5000 on a Sony a77 (image is cropped) from White Strand, Co. Clare on Saturday night . It wasn't visible to the naked eye at all at the time (you could just see a slight light area out of the corner of your eye), so there was a bit of trial an error in finding it to get it in the frame.


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    #67
    emo72
    Registered Users Posts: 6,186 ✭✭✭emo72


    telecaster wrote: »
    Definitely wasn't the ISS although I did see that earlier in the evening.

    The object I saw was passing from the east to the west, opposite direction to ISS.

    A meteor from the Perseids shower seems most likely, though I've never seen a meteor last so long, it was spectacular.

    I love the Jupiter and moons photo, I took one very similar myself last night too - the first time I've managed to get them captured. Delighted with it :)

    The meteor I just missed but my daughter seen it. She said there was amazing colours. It was the highlight of her night. Purple and red and blue she said.


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    #68
    spookwoman
    Registered Users Posts: 9,922 ✭✭✭spookwoman


    telecaster wrote: »
    Definitely wasn't the ISS although I did see that earlier in the evening.

    The object I saw was passing from the east to the west, opposite direction to ISS.

    A meteor from the Perseids shower seems most likely, though I've never seen a meteor last so long, it was spectacular.

    I love the Jupiter and moons photo, I took one very similar myself last night too - the first time I've managed to get them captured. Delighted with it :)

    Plenty of sats around and some flaring last night.


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    #69
    iLikeWaffles
    Registered Users Posts: 4,325 ✭✭✭iLikeWaffles


    I'm sticking with the ISS for a couple of reasons. Fireballs and debris/meteor usually start or end with a pointy tip with the shutter closing, the ISS and Satellites have a geometric shape (has straight/diagonal lines) at the rear and at the front.

    An example of a Fireball:
    screen-shot-2017-12-07-at-2-20-16-pm.png?w=782

    Similar photo ISS showing straight lines:
    ISS-Pass-600x450.jpg


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    #70
    cnocbui
    Registered Users Posts: 19,678 ✭✭✭✭cnocbui


    elKBCYQZ_o.jpg

    HPNQy0yw_o.jpg

    Over Lough Derg last night, taken from the top of Tountinna. (it was bitter!)


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    #71
    spookwoman
    Registered Users Posts: 9,922 ✭✭✭spookwoman


    Lot of moisture in the air the last few nights


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    #72
    cnocbui
    Registered Users Posts: 19,678 ✭✭✭✭cnocbui


    spookwoman wrote: »
    Lot of moisture in the air the last few nights

    I call it clouds. ;)


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    #73
    igCorcaigh
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 11,077 Mod ✭✭✭✭igCorcaigh


    Would this be visible from a city? I might go have a look.

    By naked eye I mean.


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    #74
    namloc1980
    Registered Users Posts: 18,064 ✭✭✭✭namloc1980


    igCorcaigh wrote: »
    Would this be visible from a city? I might go have a look.

    By naked eye I mean.

    It's fairly faint at this stage. Hard enough to pick out now with the naked eye. Would say it would be very difficult if not impossible from a city with light pollution.


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    #75
    80j2lc5y7u6qs9
    Closed Accounts Posts: 957 ✭✭✭80j2lc5y7u6qs9


    It's so nice to live somewhere with fairly dark skies and to have a pair of Fujinon 14x40 image stabilising binoculars to hand. :D
    (14 times magnification)
    sorry OT


    Is it this one


    https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/206833-USA/Fujinon_7511440_14x40_TS1440_Techno_Stabi_Image.html/specs


    Can you recommened a good pair not so expensive?


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    #76
    spookwoman
    Registered Users Posts: 9,922 ✭✭✭spookwoman


    cnocbui wrote: »
    I call it clouds. ;)

    There is that as well :P lot of dew and bitey bastards!


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    #77
    mordeith
    Registered Users Posts: 5,278 ✭✭✭mordeith


    Could see it no bother in east Cork just now. Kids loved seeing it throught binoculars.


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    #78
    cnocbui
    Registered Users Posts: 19,678 ✭✭✭✭cnocbui


    spookwoman wrote: »
    There is that as well :P lot of dew and bitey bastards!

    I've never believed that St Patrick tale: I mean between getting rid of the midges or the snakes - well there's not really a choice needing to be made.


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    #79
    iLikeWaffles
    Registered Users Posts: 4,325 ✭✭✭iLikeWaffles


    igCorcaigh wrote: »
    Would this be visible from a city? I might go have a look.

    By naked eye I mean.

    If by city you mean Dublin city centre then probably not. Phoenix park big maybe, it's a big enough area that has very little lights in view but the light pollution surround the Phoenix park I'd imaging would make seeing conditions very bad for it. I can see it in my back garden on the North side of Dublin just about with the naked eye but it is very faint and I know were it should be located. Can find it in binoculars and on the view screen of the camera okay also. I'm in the 2nd worst location to see it second only to a city centre.

    Have a look on LightPollutionMap.com. For future reference you will get good views anywhere Yellow/Green/Blue then darkest is 0 light pollution. Red is bad seeing and the brighter colours even worse.

    It is fading at the moment at the rate of about 0.2 magnitude per day, currently it is 3.7 in magnitude but air-masses/atmospheric conditions reduce the magnitude, these vary each day but on average the number is around 0.6 added to the magnitude, naked eye limit is about 6.5. So it should be visible up until the 29th/30th and perhaps a couple of days into August but there is likely going to be nothing but cloud/rain until then. Might get a couple of lucky breaks in the cloud for an hour or so hopefully.


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    #80
    iLikeWaffles
    Registered Users Posts: 4,325 ✭✭✭iLikeWaffles


    spookwoman wrote: »
    There is that as well :P lot of dew and bitey bastards!

    Bitey bastards are the worst :D


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    #81
    cnocbui
    Registered Users Posts: 19,678 ✭✭✭✭cnocbui


    Caden Hundreds Locket wrote: »
    sorry OT


    Is it this one


    https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/206833-USA/Fujinon_7511440_14x40_TS1440_Techno_Stabi_Image.html/specs


    Can you recommened a good pair not so expensive?

    Yes those are the ones. I got them SH on eBay from the UK for a bit less than that.

    I am no expert, but I had a quick look at the recommendations I found here and his recommendation for best overall stargazing bino (Canon 10x 30 IS) is available on amazon for 1/3 the price of the Fujinons.

    They also have some cheaper Celestrons that probably work well, though I would be hesitant to go above 8 times magnification without Image stabilisation. The 8x42 might be worth considering. I also have a pair of Fujinon Polaris 7x50 boating binos with an inbuilt compass that are stunning, but they too are pricey in Europe. They are great to grab for a quick look as you don't need to first install the battery pack - the 14x42 have enough parasitic battery drain I take the pack off so the batteries aren't flat when I want to use them - and I wear glasses and they have amazing eye relief which makes them such a joy.


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    #82
    iLikeWaffles
    Registered Users Posts: 4,325 ✭✭✭iLikeWaffles


    cnocbui wrote: »
    Yes those are the ones. I got them SH on eBay from the UK for a bit less than that.

    I am no expert, but I had a quick look at the recommendations I found here and his recommendation for best overall stargazing bino (Canon 10x 30 IS) is available on amazon for 1/3 the price of the Fujinons.

    They also have some cheaper Celestrons that probably work well, though I would be hesitant to go above 8 times magnification without Image stabilisation. The 8x42 might be worth considering. I also have a pair of Fujinon Polaris 7x50 boating binos with an inbuilt compass that are stunning, but they too are pricey in Europe - I wear glasses and they have amazing eye relief which makes them such a joy. They are great to grab for a quick look as you don't need to first install the battery pack - the 14x42 have enough parasitic battery drain I take the pack off so the batteries aren't flat when I want to use them.

    Techno-Stabi is right most would probably get stabbed if the other-half found out their price.

    The celestron skymaster binos are pretty decent 15 x 70, 25 x 70 etc, fairly good price range too. A tripod and an adapter for them and you're laughing, image stabilised!


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    #83
    ps200306
    Registered Users Posts: 1,589 ✭✭✭ps200306


    I finally got a glimpse of the comet Sunday night, 19-Jul. Not an easy spot, given I was looking north across Dublin bay toward the lights. It didn’t get dark enough to see it until about 11.30pm. I reckon its worse than 3rd magnitude at this stage, possibly closer to 4th, and definitely not naked eye visible from my location (limiting magnitude not much above 2). Needed a bit of star hopping with binoculars before finally seeing it. Once spotted, the tail was easily visible fanning out above it. But the whole thing is a faint fuzzy smudge, possibly a bit underwhelming to anyone expecting a streaking fireball.

    qsJNmC6.png

    I found it easiest to use two of the Big Dipper stars to point down to the northern horizon, then scan back up with binoculars to Talitha and Alkaphrah (ι and κ U. Majoris) which are the two stars on a slant to the right of the comet above the tree in the picture. They were also not naked eye visible but a fairly easy spot in the binocs, occupying about half the field of view. From there you can almost get the comet in the same field of view to the left. (That was Sunday night -- the comet will be moving slightly higher and westward over subsequent nights).

    Apart from the comet, managed to entertain companions with two successive bright passes of the ISS (visible all week this week), a couple of other satellites, a bright meteor, and Jupiter and Saturn very bright near opposition.


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    #84
    cnocbui
    Registered Users Posts: 19,678 ✭✭✭✭cnocbui


    dmpSSklJ_o.jpg

    I stuck my head out the door on the off chance the clouds had taken a hike, and could see some stars, so grabbed the camera and tripod and went out to mess around. Rather glad I did.


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    #85
    iLikeWaffles
    Registered Users Posts: 4,325 ✭✭✭iLikeWaffles


    Stolen from cool images!

    EdYsb4qUEAASz4P?format=jpg&name=medium


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    #86
    cnocbui
    Registered Users Posts: 19,678 ✭✭✭✭cnocbui


    zQrdP816_o.jpg

    Sometimes bad is good.


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    #87
    DrGreenThumb82
    Closed Accounts Posts: 95 ✭✭DrGreenThumb82


    Great view last night in East Clare. Brought back memories of Hale Bopp


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    #88
    namloc1980
    Registered Users Posts: 18,064 ✭✭✭✭namloc1980


    DrGreenThumb82 wrote: »
    Great view last night in East Clare. Brought back memories of Hale Bopp

    Hale Bopp was a stunner. It was so bright in the sky in the evening. It was brighter than magnitude 0 for 2 months which is unheard of. Neowise is so much dimmer. Hard to properly see with the naked eye.


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    #89
    fryup
    Registered Users Posts: 18,069 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    Hale Bopp was once in a lifetime, super bright and high in the horizon easy to see

    Still had no luck with Neowise either too cloudy or too tired to go out:o


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    #90
    hatrickpatrick
    Registered Users Posts: 17,797 ✭✭✭✭hatrickpatrick


    Tonight is meant to be its closest point to Earth, far too cloudy right now in Dun Laoghaire to see anything but the cloud is supposed to thin out in the next couple of hours so here's hoping!

    Anyone have any idea how many days are left to view it after tonight, assuming we have to wait another few nights for a clear one? I'm raging I wasn't able to go out looking for it on Sunday, would have been perfect conditions!


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    #91
    iLikeWaffles
    Registered Users Posts: 4,325 ✭✭✭iLikeWaffles


    Closest point to Earth doesn't really make a difference, it's the brightness that counts. There was a small break in clouds there earlier and the moon was visible while setting, could barely make Neowise out in the twilight then the clouds rolled in. Farewell!

    It might be a little clear for a time on Sunday 00:00 but it is hard to know what will happen, most of the apps are not great at prediction short term, especial where a break in the cloud for an hour or so is concerned.


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