Further to the post below, I saw the comet for the first time last night at 21.45. It was not near The Pleiades as suggested but rather nearer to Cassiopeia.
To locate, look north-west at an elevation of perhaps 25 to 30 degrees. If not seen immediately with a naked eye, put a line through the uppermost stars in the W of Cassiopeia. Take another line at right angles to this down to the horizon. You will see a star in Andromeda ( Andromed Beta?-or it could be planet Mars) seemingly alone, low in the sky.
The comet is slightly above and to the right of this. Chart here..
encke.jpl.nasa.gov/images/02C1/c2002c1chart.jpg
As the outer part of the eye is more sensitive at night, it will be easier to see the smudge if you don't look directly at it. This is demonstated by looking for the Pleiades. See it out of the corner of the eye but when we look right at it , it almost disappears.
Binoculars needed to see clearly, of course.
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Thanks for the info Alwyn, I'll take a gander. However I must admit to have having lost my 'gee' factor as far as comets are concerned. I put this down to the astronomers' overblown hype that we get everytime one appears (or fails to) in our skies.
I well remember my friends and I getting into a muck-sweat of anticipation over the early 70's appearance of 'Kahoutec', a comet that 'would be clearly visible in the daytime, and light up the night like the moon'.
Cobblers.
When it deigned to put in an appearance, it was a dim smudge and about as interesting as watching a coffin warp.
So please excuse me if I don't burst into a lather at the news, but thanks for taking the trouble.
Regards,
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Andy,
This one is not as large as Hale Bopp.
www.jpl.nasa.gov/comet/
Wish I knew more about what is up there.
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Alwyn,
Can recommend DK Multimedia Redshift 3. Was not a good seller for DK so is usually found in the marked down bargain boxes at around £3. Version 3.01 is ok to use with Win 95. Was living in West mids when Hale Bopp went by but now down farther south get some better views as there isn't so much light pollution here.
When I read some of the posts I automatically think of the vast distances involved in the universe and most of our troubles seem to be very very small by comparison.
B. rgds Phil I
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Alwyn,
We must be on the same wavelength - for certain things!- I was engrossed in this yesterday evening, what a glorious night it was....the air was gin-clear in Snowdonia, and thanks to the local Council's policy of using low light pollution
street lamps (motoring link) was afforded a clear view.
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Most of the lamps around our way seem to be sodium vapour (with a few newer ones )
The sodium ones have no reflectors and seem to throw light everywhere but on the road. A lot goes upwards and when there is lowish cloud you can pick out a town from 15 miles away by the yellow glow in the sky.
It's probably the same everywhere!
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Seeing that its all gone astrological...
When is the Beagle 2 (Mars lander) due to be launched ?
Must be soon ?
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