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pbholmes · Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 139 Location: Dalgety Bay

Has anyone managed to see Comet Holmes yet?
It should be easy to see, unless it's cloudy all the time. Like it is now.
Crying or Very sad

seabay

We've had some excellent views down here on the south coast . . . . really rubbish weather until Monday night (29th), but the comet was really easy to see - almost as bright as Alpha Persei - very distinct yellow colour and very, very big when viewed with binoculars.

There's a really good comparative image on APOD -
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap071030.html

Noticed a very bright pin-point of light to the lower right of the comet (this was also seen from Bexhill, so I know I'm not imaginging it!) - not sure if it was a star seen through the coma, or part of the comet itself.

Has anyone else seen that??

Have had a lot of reports from people in the States - Florida has been under clouds as well until recently, but they're doing OK now. Have also received a stunning image (made with a 16" Meade) from Arizona, which really just makes you want to give up astro-imaging altogether, it's so good!

And the comet made for some excellent "end of class" entertainment following last Tuesday's line-dancing class: a gang of us cha-cha'd our way down to Seaford beach (laser pointer at the ready!), to see it from there!

Hope you've had some good views as well.
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Emma H

bwh · Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 102 Location: Dalgety Bay

Spotted it - 8:15 wednesday night - light cloudy

Its visible with naked eye as slight hazy, wonderful under 10x50 binos

grabbed scope, hauled it out (recently flocked sct) - but get very fusy hazy, almost filling my 40m eyepiece... had to add focal reducer to try and see more with some black sky for constrast

got kids and neighbours to see it...

Very wierd first comet! tail perpendicular to our view.... almost like a donut ?????

If you looking - its to left of last star in andomeda (find 4 in square, go left for 3 main stars - then hand with). Or up and left of pleiades

Mirpack (sp?) in perseus is main thing to find, its at 8oc from that as your center - should be in view of binos or scope finder.

WOW!
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bwh

Meade 8inch (228mm) LX5 Smidt-Cassegrain fl=2000
Skywatcher 120mm Refractor fl=1000m
Toucam Pro II 840k

seabay

Glad to hear that others have seen the comet also - it's been a few days since it was visible here (Seaford) - a lot of cloud - but I did notice on 5th (Nov) that it was considerably less bright than previously - I would say down to mag 3/4 - or maybe there was just a lot of smoke on the air from fireworks??
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Emma H

bwh · Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 102 Location: Dalgety Bay

captains log - stardate 08 nov 2007 - location dalgety bay

crew down with mystery stomach bug - but first crystal clear night - spotted holmes again - to East out front of my house - doh! ruddy big street light - grrrrr

would attempt to valdalise it - but heard that peops get electrocuted...

Very strange sight - like halo in the night sky - can detect fuss with eye and binos still best ???? two eyes beter optics ????

tried 5' refrector - nice

to cold and ill to try 8' sct again...

any bayers get out and see it while u can - storm coming..

oh and its cold Wink

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bwh

Meade 8inch (228mm) LX5 Smidt-Cassegrain fl=2000
Skywatcher 120mm Refractor fl=1000m
Toucam Pro II 840k