[meteorite-list] Brightest Comet in 30 Years: Comet C/2006P1(McNaught)

From: Gerald Flaherty <grf2_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 20:14:37 -0500
Message-ID: <009901c7351d$de9e52b0$6402a8c0_at_Dell>

Nice Job, Thomas. NICE JOB!!
Jerry Flaherty
----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas Tuchan" <thomas.tuchan at t-online.de>
To: "Meteorite Mailing List" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 1:57 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Brightest Comet in 30 Years: Comet
C/2006P1(McNaught)


> Hello :-)
>
> I took a nice picture from the comet a few minutes ago ...
>
> http://www.sternhimmel-ueber-ulm.de/scratch/McNaughtk.jpg
>
> Bigger version:
> http://www.sternhimmel-ueber-ulm.de/scratch/McNaught.jpg
>
> And a video:
> http://www.sternhimmel-ueber-ulm.de/scratch/McNaught.avi
>
> Thomas
> IMCA #0298
> http://www.sternhimmel-ueber-ulm.de
>
>
> Sterling K. Webb schrieb:
>> Hi, List,
>>
>> I posted this following about Comet McNaught
>> last night after I got back from my first look at it,
>> but it disappeared into the temporary black hole the
>> List was transiting and never appeared on the other
>> side.
>> Let's try it again. I added a few comments.
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Comet McNaught is very bright, very
>> visible, but very poorly placed to be seen
>> easily. It is extremely low on the horizon
>> by the time it can be seen. Because it is so
>> low it can only be seen for another 2-3 days
>> in the evening sky [from the northern
>> hemisphere].
>>
>> I got a look at it the first time just this
>> evening. Right now, it's trailing the Sun,
>> getting closer and closer to the Sun, until
>> Jan. 12 when it will race around it at only
>> half the distance of Mercury. The comet's
>> orbit isn't in the flat plane of the solar
>> system; it coming in from "above" (north)
>> of the system and will go out "below"
>> (south), In fact the plane of its orbit is
>> turned almost at right angles to the plane
>> of the solar system. Here's how the orbit
>> looks:
>> http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/db_shm?des=2006+P1
>>
>> So, basically, locating it's not a problem. Find
>> a place where you can see ALL the way down to
>> the western horizon. Wait till after the Sun sets
>> The first thing you will see is Venus, bright as
>> a spotlight. As it gets darker, look to the right
>> of Venus and down, immediately north of the
>> spot where the Sun has set. As it gets darker,
>> you should spot the comet. Binoculars will help
>> if the horizon is hazy. My horizon was so hazy
>> that it never was "naked-eye" visible [to me at
>> least], but it showed up in small (7x35) binoculars
>> wonderfully. By the time it's dark enough to see
>> the comet it will be less than five degrees above the
>> horizon, most likely.
>>
>> Of course, this all assumes good weather, clear
>> skies, no clouds, but it's getting so bright so fast
>> that even haze doesn't hide it. Here's a good sky
>> chart:
>> http://skytonight.com/observing/highlights/5089276.html
>>
>> It's really LOW in the sky... If this puppy were
>> up at the top of the sky, people would stand and
>> gawk, like they say, but you've got hunt it down.
>>
>> The professionals are cautious about the tail of
>> the comet being visible, but tonight the tail seemed
>> brighter than the head of the comet. That could just
>> be because the head was deeper in the haze. But I
>> could see 2 degrees or more of tail even with all
>> that haze.
>>
>> [As you can tell from the tone of the spaceweather
>> piece, they're getting more enthusiastic by the day
>> as this comet puts on a better and better show. In
>> particular, the tail of the comet seems to be especially
>> bright, even brighter than the head/coma, or it did to
>> me last night.]
>>
>> Paradoxically, it will get brighter each night up
>> through Jan. 12th, but it will be closer to the Sun
>> each night and the viewing time will be shorter and
>> the comet lower in the sky.
>>
>> It's worth a look. Probably the biggest carboneous
>> chondrite you'll see for years, and it's headed AWAY
>> from eBay.
>>
>>
>> Sterling K. Webb
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Ron Baalke" <baalke at zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>
>> To: "Meteorite Mailing List" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 12:15 PM
>> Subject: [meteorite-list] Brightest Comet in 30 Years: Comet C/2006
>> P1(McNaught)
>>
>>
>>
>>> Space Weather News for Jan. 10, 2007
>>> http://spaceweather.com
>>>
>>> Comet McNaught has continued to brighten as it approaches
>>> the sun and it is now the brightest comet in 30 years.
>>> For observers in the northern Hemisphere, tonight is
>>> probably the best time to see it: Go outside this
>>> evening and face the sunset. A clear view of the
>>> western horizon is essential, because the comet hangs
>>> very low. As the twilight fades to black, it should
>>> become visible to the naked eye. Observers say it's a
>>> fantastic sight through binoculars.
>>>
>>> In the days ahead, Comet McNaught will pass the sun and
>>> emerge in good position for southern hemisphere viewing
>>> later this month. Meanwhile, solar heating will
>>> continue to puff up the comet, causing it to brighten
>>> even more. It could become one of the brightest comets
>>> in centuries, visible even in daylit skies.
>>>
>>> Visit http://spaceweather.com for photos and updates.
>>>
>>>
>>> ______________________________________________
>>> Meteorite-list mailing list
>>> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>>> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>
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Received on Wed 10 Jan 2007 08:14:37 PM PST