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Can't see the comet 46P/Wirtanen because it's like winter 1986 here



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 13th 18, 06:26 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
RichA[_6_]
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Default Can't see the comet 46P/Wirtanen because it's like winter 1986 here

By that I mean the Halley era. 3 solid months of clouds without a break.

Maybe Saturday will be partly-clear.

  #2  
Old December 13th 18, 11:01 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
StarDust
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Default Can't see the comet 46P/Wirtanen because it's like winter 1986 here

On Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at 9:26:33 PM UTC-8, RichA wrote:
By that I mean the Halley era. 3 solid months of clouds without a break.

Maybe Saturday will be partly-clear.


I couldn't see it either, sky very hazy over here, plus light pollution!
Even a 2 mag star is very dim!
46P should be close to Alfa Tau , between Aldebaran and Menkar!
  #3  
Old December 13th 18, 03:06 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Martin Brown[_3_]
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Default Can't see the comet 46P/Wirtanen because it's like winter 1986here

On 13/12/2018 10:01, StarDust wrote:
On Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at 9:26:33 PM UTC-8, RichA wrote:
By that I mean the Halley era. 3 solid months of clouds without a break.

Maybe Saturday will be partly-clear.


I couldn't see it either, sky very hazy over here, plus light pollution!
Even a 2 mag star is very dim!
46P should be close to Alfa Tau , between Aldebaran and Menkar!


I was surprised not to be able to see it naked eye last night.

It was very obvious in 11x80 binoculars and invisible naked eye despite
knowing exactly where to look. There was some thin high cloud and
moonlight but the milkyway was just about visible overhead.

M31 was also dim to the naked eye so I expect the haze was making the
low contrast of the comet impossible to distinguish from sky brightness.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown
  #4  
Old December 13th 18, 03:25 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Mike Collins[_4_]
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Default Can't see the comet 46P/Wirtanen because it's likewinter 1986 here

Martin Brown wrote:
On 13/12/2018 10:01, StarDust wrote:
On Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at 9:26:33 PM UTC-8, RichA wrote:
By that I mean the Halley era. 3 solid months of clouds without a break.

Maybe Saturday will be partly-clear.


I couldn't see it either, sky very hazy over here, plus light pollution!
Even a 2 mag star is very dim!
46P should be close to Alfa Tau , between Aldebaran and Menkar!


I was surprised not to be able to see it naked eye last night.

It was very obvious in 11x80 binoculars and invisible naked eye despite
knowing exactly where to look. There was some thin high cloud and
moonlight but the milkyway was just about visible overhead.

M31 was also dim to the naked eye so I expect the haze was making the
low contrast of the comet impossible to distinguish from sky brightness.


You’re lucky. In my part of Norfolk it was completely cloudy.


  #5  
Old December 14th 18, 01:22 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
RichA[_6_]
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Default Can't see the comet 46P/Wirtanen because it's like winter 1986 here

On Thursday, 13 December 2018 05:01:57 UTC-5, StarDust wrote:
On Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at 9:26:33 PM UTC-8, RichA wrote:
By that I mean the Halley era. 3 solid months of clouds without a break.

Maybe Saturday will be partly-clear.


I couldn't see it either, sky very hazy over here, plus light pollution!
Even a 2 mag star is very dim!
46P should be close to Alfa Tau , between Aldebaran and Menkar!


The nucleus should be visible in small binos and telescopes, but the thing is Moon-sized so really spread out.
 




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