Obs: Comet C/2006 M4 (SWAN)

Comet C/2006 M4 (SWAN) was initially spotted in darkening twilight
with the aid of a pair of 8x42 binoculars. The comet looked very much
like a bright, globular star cluster -- a round, fuzzy blob with a
gradually much brighter center.

After the end of twilight I was able to make a more detailed
observation using a pair of tripod mounted 25x100 binoculars.

The coma was estimated to be about 7 minutes of arc in diameter.

Initially a very short tail was noted pointing northward from the
comet's head. As I continued to observe the comet I was able to trace
longer and fainter portions of the tail up to a final length of about
1.2 degrees.

The observation was made from a site in the northwestern U.S. beneath
a magnitude 6.4 sky. The comet was 18 to 19 degrees above my
northwestern horizon. A weak aurora was present low in the north.
Another glow (light pollution and/or aurora) was visible along the
northwestern horizon.

Willie R. Meghar
Observational Notes at:
http://meghar.blogspot.com/

I caught Comet C/2006 M4 Fri night at 20:42 CDT (01:42GMT) in my 10" newt
from N. Tx. It was about 10 deg above the NW horizon, and I was not able to
make out a tail at 60X. However the comet was very bright, about 3 times
brighter than 177P/Bernard at its brightest (at my site), and I recommend
that everyone take a gander. Here's what I wrote in my observing log:

"Bright, round. No tail visible. Nucleus evident as a brigher area in
center of comet ball. 3' diameter."

I tried a Orion SkyGlow broad band "light polution" filter but it did not
help the view. Interestingly, this same filter had enhanced 177P every time
I used it.

-John

"Willie R. Meghar" wrote in message
...
Comet C/2006 M4 (SWAN) was initially spotted in darkening twilight
with the aid of a pair of 8x42 binoculars. The comet looked very much
like a bright, globular star cluster -- a round, fuzzy blob with a
gradually much brighter center.

After the end of twilight I was able to make a more detailed
observation using a pair of tripod mounted 25x100 binoculars.

The coma was estimated to be about 7 minutes of arc in diameter.

Initially a very short tail was noted pointing northward from the
comet's head. As I continued to observe the comet I was able to trace
longer and fainter portions of the tail up to a final length of about
1.2 degrees.

The observation was made from a site in the northwestern U.S. beneath
a magnitude 6.4 sky. The comet was 18 to 19 degrees above my
northwestern horizon. A weak aurora was present low in the north.
Another glow (light pollution and/or aurora) was visible along the
northwestern horizon.

Willie R. Meghar
Observational Notes at:
http://meghar.blogspot.com/

I spotted C/2006 M4 on Friday (13 Oct) at 8:06 pm EDT,
and again on Sunday at 8:10 pm EDT. Both days the comet
was seen with 7x50 binoculars just above trees to the
NW from my back deck in the inner suburbs of Baltimore,
Maryland. At 7x I was just able to see the comet as an
extended object -- it looked like a slightly out of focus
star when the stars in the field were brought to focus.
C/2006 M4 appeared about as bright as the mag 5.5 star that
was roughly a degree to the west of the comet on Friday
evening.


ljd