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Non-Road Boards => Off-Topic => Weather => Topic started by: Bruce on July 11, 2020, 03:38:34 AM

Title: Comet Neowise
Post by: Bruce on July 11, 2020, 03:38:34 AM
Anyone else thinking about a 3 am trip to see the comet?

Closest approach will be around July 22. Apparently it's also due to eventually be visible during the early dusk instead of near-dawn.
Title: Re: Comet Neowise
Post by: US 89 on July 11, 2020, 11:29:34 AM
I woke up at 4:45 yesterday to see it. It was worth it. Everything online said I'd need binoculars to see it, but I was able to easily see it without them - tail and all.
Title: Re: Comet Neowise
Post by: 1995hoo on July 11, 2020, 12:02:44 PM
Supposed to be visible after sunset this coming week. I'll dig out the binoculars this weekend and hope the light pollution here isn't too severe to obscure it.
Title: Re: Comet Neowise
Post by: ozarkman417 on July 11, 2020, 12:45:27 PM
A few nights ago I saw the comet, with the help with binoculars (it was not visible to the naked eye where I was, bortle seven skies). It has gotten brighter since then but hasn't risen high enough in the sky for me since I last saw it. I woke up at 4 AM to see it.
Title: Re: Comet Neowise
Post by: Bruce on July 15, 2020, 04:38:16 AM
A picture I took from Everett, WA, where light pollution is a bit high.

(https://i.imgur.com/DE0Chjl.jpg)
Title: Re: Comet Neowise
Post by: Buck87 on July 16, 2020, 08:30:39 AM
I tried finding it last night in the 60-90 minutes after sunset range, but was unable to spot it. Though there were some far off clouds near the edge of the area where I was expecting to see the comet that may have been blocking my view.

One article I read described the comet's location in the sky as being "3 fists below the bowl of the Big Dipper, and a little to the right".....for those that have seen the comet, does that sound accurate?
Title: Re: Comet Neowise
Post by: usends on July 16, 2020, 08:42:52 AM
Quote from: Buck87 on July 16, 2020, 08:30:39 AM
One article I read described the comet's location in the sky as being "3 fists below the bowl of the Big Dipper, and a little to the right".....for those that have seen the comet, does that sound accurate?

Here's a helpful chart (https://www.curtrenz.com/comets02.html) that shows the comet's position on a night-by-night basis.
Title: Re: Comet Neowise
Post by: hotdogPi on July 16, 2020, 08:46:22 AM
Quote from: usends on July 16, 2020, 08:42:52 AM
Quote from: Buck87 on July 16, 2020, 08:30:39 AM
One article I read described the comet's location in the sky as being "3 fists below the bowl of the Big Dipper, and a little to the right".....for those that have seen the comet, does that sound accurate?

Here's a helpful chart (https://www.curtrenz.com/comets02.html) that shows the comet's position on a night-by-night basis.

Number of degrees above the horizon, direction to look, and time of day would be more helpful to me. I looked on the night of the 14th. I couldn't see it, but it was likely blocked by trees.
Title: Re: Comet Neowise
Post by: 1995hoo on July 16, 2020, 08:54:52 AM
I was unable to see it Tuesday night with binoculars, but it was so low to the horizon that night that I expect the trees and the light pollution were interfering. It was easy enough to see the Big Dipper, so I plan to use that as my cue for where to look over the next few nights. Didn't get outside last night because I was just plain exhausted. It's supposed to get higher in the sky every night over the course of the next week, with its closest approach to Earth coming next Wednesday or Thursday, so it may get easier to spot. The articles I've seen all made sure to note that you should not expect to see something like you see in the time-lapse photos people have posted online–you won't see the same sort of tail. It'll look more like a fuzzy object.

I have a telescope, but I'm not inclined to try to use it simply because it's so bright here.

Next weekend we are going to the Inn at Little Washington and I think I will have to bring the binoculars because the sky is so much darker there. Maybe bring the tripod and the SLR to try to get some pictures.
Title: Re: Comet Neowise
Post by: usends on July 16, 2020, 09:10:38 AM
Quote from: 1 on July 16, 2020, 08:46:22 AM
Number of degrees above the horizon, direction to look, and time of day would be more helpful to me. I looked on the night of the 14th. I couldn't see it, but it was likely blocked by trees.

A chart like that would have to be custom-built for your specific latitude and longitude.
Title: Re: Comet Neowise
Post by: ozarkman417 on July 16, 2020, 01:24:21 PM
Last night, I drove out to a conservation area nearly an hour out of town and almost got struck by a wrong-way driver on a divided four lane highway while trying to get there. There were clouds to the south, but not to the NNW where the comet is. The area is in bortle three skies, so the tail was quite visible to the naked eye. My brother and his friend took a great photo of it which I will upload here later once it is processed and I obtain it. I saw it at best through binoculars around 10 PM, because not long after that it disappeared behind the trees.
Title: Re: Comet Neowise
Post by: ozarkman417 on July 16, 2020, 11:18:27 PM
Here it is. This image is heavily processed/edited, and was taken using the Orion ED80T CF telescope paired with the SONY a6400 camera.


(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200717/9b2dcd28b320505eb4cf4593bdcfda1d.jpg)
Title: Re: Comet Neowise
Post by: kevinb1994 on July 16, 2020, 11:23:01 PM
Quote from: ozarkman417 on July 16, 2020, 11:18:27 PM
Here it is. This image is heavily processed/edited, and was taken using the Orion ED80T CF telescope paired with the SONY a6400 camera.


(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200717/9b2dcd28b320505eb4cf4593bdcfda1d.jpg)
We have a winner!
Title: Re: Comet Neowise
Post by: kkt on July 17, 2020, 01:04:57 AM
I saw the comet Monday night in binoculars, about 10:30 PM.  I was scanning with the binoculars.  It was too dim to see it as anything but a grey spot naked eye, for me in a fairly light polluted city.
Title: Re: Comet Neowise
Post by: US 89 on July 17, 2020, 01:34:31 AM
Saw it tonight from Salt Lake with just my two eyes. I have to say, it was much more impressive when I saw it in the early morning a week ago. It seems a lot dimmer now.
Title: Re: Comet Neowise
Post by: CNGL-Leudimin on July 17, 2020, 05:55:58 PM
I've observed the comet some minutes ago. I was outside any populated place, so it was dark enough to see it without any difficulty. A great night for me, since SD Huesca is now back to La Liga.
Title: Re: Comet Neowise
Post by: Rothman on July 19, 2020, 11:28:50 AM
Saw the comet a couple of days ago in Charlton, NY.  Much brighter than I expected.