This comet is currently quite bright, about magnitude 1, but unfortunately is not yet visible from Australia during the dark hours. Around about 22 July it will start to become visible after the sun sets, from Perth at least: bit later in the month for Melbourne and Hobart.

This Facebook page gives some good info and pics of various comets.

https://www.facebook.com/michael.mattiazzo2/

dv said:

This comet is currently quite bright, about magnitude 1, but unfortunately is not yet visible from Australia during the dark hours. Around about 22 July it will start to become visible after the sun sets, from Perth at least: bit later in the month for Melbourne and Hobart.

Here are two from apod.

http://members.westnet.com.au/mmatti/sc.htm

“The earliest opportunity for southerners to see the fading comet will be around early evening on July 26, very low on the northwestern horizon. It could appear 4th magnitude. Hopefully it will have developed a bright dust tail, visible in binoculars. By August 1, the comet has rapidly gained altitude and will be 15 degrees altitude at end of astronomical twilight from 35S, situated near the Coma Berenices star cluster Melotte 111, and shining at 5th magnitude.”

Southern Hemisphere chart end July 2020 35S latitude: brightness fading from magnitude 5 to 6 in this period.

http://members.westnet.com.au/mmatti/Images/2020f3_july2020southernchart.jpg

> The earliest opportunity for southerners to see the fading comet will be around early evening on July 26

Head first or tail first?

https://youtu.be/AiIXFqLXMnQ

Video taken from ISS

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-14/comet-neowise-lights-up-northern-hemisphere-skies/12455596

Some good pics there

Divine Angel said:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-14/comet-neowise-lights-up-northern-hemisphere-skies/12455596

Some good pics there

Sadly, it will probably be a mag 4 object at best by the time I can see it.

She’s fading fast, a second magnitude beastie now.

dv said:

She’s fading fast, a second magnitude beastie now.

Bugger.

Michael V said:

dv said:

She’s fading fast, a second magnitude beastie now.

Bugger.

Oh well. At least we had a look at a few fuzzy blobs in our lifetime.
Wished I’d been here in my parents time to see Halleys as beter than a fuzzy blob..

roughbarked said:

Michael V said:

dv said:

She’s fading fast, a second magnitude beastie now.

Bugger.

Oh well. At least we had a look at a few fuzzy blobs in our lifetime.
Wished I’d been here in my parents time to see Halleys as beter than a fuzzy blob..

Lovejoy was pretty damn spectacular from Brisbane.

Michael V said:

roughbarked said:

Michael V said:

Bugger.

Oh well. At least we had a look at a few fuzzy blobs in our lifetime.
Wished I’d been here in my parents time to see Halleys as beter than a fuzzy blob..

Lovejoy was pretty damn spectacular from Brisbane.

I’ve only passed through Brisbane twice briefly in 1972. Slept overnight in a greyhound bus that had not had it’s door locked. All acommodation was booked out. Joh’s boys were still burning heritage buildings overnight.

roughbarked said:

Michael V said:

dv said:

She’s fading fast, a second magnitude beastie now.

Bugger.

Oh well. At least we had a look at a few fuzzy blobs in our lifetime.
Wished I’d been here in my parents time to see Halleys as beter than a fuzzy blob..

McNaught’s comet of 2007 was the brightest comet I’ve ever seen. It was extremely bright, brighter than Venus, but was only visible in twilight at that time, sinking below the horizon before the sky went dark. It had a very good tail, several degrees long.

In October thst year I saw Comet Holmes. It had an outburst that lasted a day, was a good 2nd magnitude object with a visible tail maybe a third of the width of the moon in length.

McNaught! That’s the one I’ve been trying to remember.

I was at my mum’s and went across the road to stand atop the railway station carpark. It was magnificent. Someone said it was Halley’s Comet and I explained that it wasn’t and they asked questions and I felt rooly smrt.

Sorry I Meant McNaught, not Lovejoy.

https://www.sciencealert.com/mysterious-aurora-like-steve-and-comet-neowise-put-on-a-spectacular-display-together

Arrows point to the meteor (top), STEVE (left), and Comet NEOWISE. (Donna Lach)

STEVE = Strong Thermal Emissions Velocity Enhancement.

The comet gets closest to Earth on July 23.

Michael V said:

Sorry I Meant McNaught, not Lovejoy.

:)

It should be visible right after sunset in Perth tomorrow. Or at least, it will be above the horizon after sunset. She’s dimmed to a 3rd magnitude so may not be easy to spot in bright twilight.

roughbarked said:

Michael V said:

Sorry I Meant McNaught, not Lovejoy.

:)

In tennis, Love means naught.

dv said:

roughbarked said:

Michael V said:

Sorry I Meant McNaught, not Lovejoy.

:)

In tennis, Love means naught.

So9 McNaught means Son of nothing?

dv said:

roughbarked said:

Michael V said:

Sorry I Meant McNaught, not Lovejoy.

:)

In tennis, Love means naught.

and Mc or Mac means son of..

Tamb said:

dv said:

roughbarked said:

:)

In tennis, Love means naught.

So9 McNaught means Son of nothing?

Ja.

I had a quick look, without success, on where to look from south-east Queensland to find the comet. Any good links please?

roughbarked said:

Tamb said:

dv said:

In tennis, Love means naught.

So9 McNaught means Son of nothing?

Ja.

Au contraire.

If love means naught, then naught means love.

So McNaught means love-child.

The Rev Dodgson said:

roughbarked said:

Tamb said:

So9 McNaught means Son of nothing?

Ja.

Au contraire.

If love means naught, then naught means love.

So McNaught means love-child.

Our past and our future converge upon the present.

Spiny Norman said:

I had a quick look, without success, on where to look from south-east Queensland to find the comet. Any good links please?

you’ll need to be looking in the North West immediately after sunset.

Ta, will do.

BTW, those Hale-Bopp large format photos I inherited that I promised to post on the forum.
Apologies. I ended up sending them all to my nephew, the amateur astronomer in New York as a Christmas present.

Spiny Norman said:

Ta, will do.

I’ve snapped and rotated a few sky images from heavens-above.com for your location, on 22nd, 25th, 28th July, facing northwest. You can see the setting sun at bottom left, so the comet is about 40 degrees to the right of that. Over the coming week it will get higher at sunset, but dimmer.

Excellent, thanks.

Do we have any territorians or NQers on the forum these days?

dv said:

Do we have any territorians or NQers on the forum these days?

Tamb, DO and Spider lily are NQ.

dv said:

Spiny Norman said:

Ta, will do.

I’ve snapped and rotated a few sky images from heavens-above.com for your location, on 22nd, 25th, 28th July, facing northwest. You can see the setting sun at bottom left, so the comet is about 40 degrees to the right of that. Over the coming week it will get higher at sunset, but dimmer.

Thanks for that, dv.

dv said:

Do we have any territorians or NQers on the forum these days?

spiderlily, tamb, DO, NQers

dv said:

Do we have any territorians or NQers on the forum these days?

There’s a small number from FNQ.

Michael V said:

dv said:

Do we have any territorians or NQers on the forum these days?

Tamb, DO and Spider lily are NQ.

I just said that!

ChrispenEvan said:

Michael V said:

dv said:

Do we have any territorians or NQers on the forum these days?

Tamb, DO and Spider lily are NQ.

I just said that!

It seems we have no known Territorians. Other than ex-Territorians.

ChrispenEvan said:

Michael V said:

dv said:

Do we have any territorians or NQers on the forum these days?

Tamb, DO and Spider lily are NQ.

I just said that!

For once, I was quicker.

Michael V said:

dv said:

Do we have any territorians or NQers on the forum these days?

Tamb, DO and Spider lily are NQ.

Well they’ll have the best shot at seeing this thing

dv said:

Michael V said:

dv said:

Do we have any territorians or NQers on the forum these days?

Tamb, DO and Spider lily are NQ.

Well they’ll have the best shot at seeing this thing

yeah they live in an area where the track covers, like an ally. so the have comet alley views.

ChrispenEvan said:

dv said:

Michael V said:

Tamb, DO and Spider lily are NQ.

Well they’ll have the best shot at seeing this thing

yeah they live in an area where the track covers, like an ally. so the have comet alley views.

I have no idea what you were going for there but it did not work out

I suppose people in northern WA would also be doing okay.

Or, indeed, people in the Northern hemisphere such as my mate kii.

Photo from near Beijing.

I was hoping to get a squiz this evening but it would appear Huey has other ideas

Well that was not a successful comet watch. The western sky did not darken fast enough for my liking. I kind of saw something in the right vicinity but it might have been Psi Ursae Majoris.

The good news is that the comet is not fading fast, she is still a 3rd magnitude object according to the boffins. I’ll give it another crack in 4 days time, at which time the comet will be significantly above the horizon when astronomical twilight ends.

dv said:

Well that was not a successful comet watch. The western sky did not darken fast enough for my liking. I kind of saw something in the right vicinity but it might have been Psi Ursae Majoris.

The good news is that the comet is not fading fast, she is still a 3rd magnitude object according to the boffins. I’ll give it another crack in 4 days time, at which time the comet will be significantly above the horizon when astronomical twilight ends.

I’ll try too though my horizon isn’t so westerly, I do get the long sunsets.

Many is the time I’ve looked to the sky attempting to spy an interesting sight only to think to myself “fuck, I hope that wasn’t just Psi Ursae Majoris. again”.

sibeen said:

Many is the time I’ve looked to the sky attempting to spy an interesting sight only to think to myself “fuck, I hope that wasn’t just Psi Ursae Majoris. again”.

LOL

sibeen said:

Many is the time I’ve looked to the sky attempting to spy an interesting sight only to think to myself “fuck, I hope that wasn’t just Psi Ursae Majoris. again”.

Female anatomy is pretty complex

dv said:

Well that was not a successful comet watch. The western sky did not darken fast enough for my liking. I kind of saw something in the right vicinity but it might have been Psi Ursae Majoris.

The good news is that the comet is not fading fast, she is still a 3rd magnitude object according to the boffins. I’ll give it another crack in 4 days time, at which time the comet will be significantly above the horizon when astronomical twilight ends.

I also failed to see it. I had some sports binoculars, but they didn’t help.

TFC :(

party_pants said:

TFC :(

Totally Failed (to see) Comet?

Bubblecar said:

party_pants said:

TFC :(

Totally Failed (to see) Comet?

Too ….(something).. Cloudy.

Not sure what the F stands for.

Bubblecar said:

party_pants said:

TFC :(

Totally Failed (to see) Comet?

Yes, a piss poor effort that.

party_pants said:

Bubblecar said:

party_pants said:

TFC :(

Totally Failed (to see) Comet?

Too ….(something).. Cloudy.

Not sure what the F stands for.

Maybe “Filthy nimbostratus”.

TFC once again :(

party_pants said:

TFC once again :(

Same here, sod it.

Overcast here

So it’s fading fast now and I think that if we don’t spy it in the next two days, then we never will (without binoculars or telescope).

Cloudy here, so I think tomorrow might be my last chance to see it with my naked eye

Clear skies tonight. Hopefully we’ll get a look at it at last.

I did not manage to see the comet

Never mind, here’s a nice snap of it.

Bubblecar said:

Never mind, here’s a nice snap of it.

bloody northern hemispherians, stealing all the good comet viewing seasons :(

party_pants said:

Bubblecar said:

Never mind, here’s a nice snap of it.

bloody northern hemispherians, stealing all the good comet viewing seasons :(

We might get a spectacular one eventually.

Bubblecar said:

party_pants said:

Bubblecar said:

Never mind, here’s a nice snap of it.

bloody northern hemispherians, stealing all the good comet viewing seasons :(

We might get a spectacular one eventually.

Yeah, probably the week after I die.

party_pants said:

Bubblecar said:

party_pants said:

bloody northern hemispherians, stealing all the good comet viewing seasons :(

We might get a spectacular one eventually.

Yeah, probably the week after I die.

Comet McNaught was quite good back in 2006.

Witty Rejoinder said:

party_pants said:

Bubblecar said:

We might get a spectacular one eventually.

Yeah, probably the week after I die.

Comet McNaught was quite good back in 2006.

Yep. Even I got a photograph of that.

Witty Rejoinder said:

party_pants said:

Bubblecar said:

We might get a spectacular one eventually.

Yeah, probably the week after I die.

Comet McNaught was quite good back in 2006.

Naught face McNaughtface.

mollwollfumble said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

party_pants said:

Yeah, probably the week after I die.

Comet McNaught was quite good back in 2006.

Yep. Even I got a photograph of that.

I got a poor photograph of it, which I can’t find now. But it was a nice evening having a picnic up on Mt Rouse with friends and wallabies and watching the sky.

Witty Rejoinder said:

party_pants said:

Bubblecar said:

We might get a spectacular one eventually.

Yeah, probably the week after I die.

Comet McNaught was quite good back in 2006.

Yes, that was acceptable.

party_pants said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

party_pants said:

Yeah, probably the week after I die.

Comet McNaught was quite good back in 2006.

Yes, that was acceptable.

I remember getting my telescope out for that one.

Actually Halley’s Comet in 1986 was also quite impressive. Even if I was really pissed off with it because I set the alarm and got up at stupid times to see it and didn’t. And then got up one morning for an early shift for mr buffy (he was in the ambulance then, with 7.00am start shifts and we lived a good hour away from the ambulance station and I used to go with him and start ridiculously early at the practice), walked out the back door and went….you bugger!! There you are!!! So bloody obvious!!!!

buffy said:

Actually Halley’s Comet in 1986 was also quite impressive. Even if I was really pissed off with it because I set the alarm and got up at stupid times to see it and didn’t. And then got up one morning for an early shift for mr buffy (he was in the ambulance then, with 7.00am start shifts and we lived a good hour away from the ambulance station and I used to go with him and start ridiculously early at the practice), walked out the back door and went….you bugger!! There you are!!! So bloody obvious!!!!

Halley’s Comet was spectacular in 1910 so I think we were all a bit disappointed in 1986.

Comet Lovejoy was visible from WA. Here’s a snap of its tail, taken from Mandurah Estuary 2011.

I seem to remember Kohoutek being reasonably good in the 1970s, but not as spectacular as predicted.

I’ve seen a few others including a low-horizon 1990s one whose name I don’t recall, but which looked pretty good through my Dad’s telescope.

buffy said:

Actually Halley’s Comet in 1986 was also quite impressive. Even if I was really pissed off with it because I set the alarm and got up at stupid times to see it and didn’t. And then got up one morning for an early shift for mr buffy (he was in the ambulance then, with 7.00am start shifts and we lived a good hour away from the ambulance station and I used to go with him and start ridiculously early at the practice), walked out the back door and went….you bugger!! There you are!!! So bloody obvious!!!!

I was up and ready with the telescope for its very first appearance over the completely dark skies of South Mole Creek. It was a decent little comet, just nowhere near as spectacular as earlier incarnations.

So I’ve seen it, at least.
It’s past the first quarter moon now, so the sky is not dark, but I’ve perceived the beast with naked eye, but it’s just a dot, to me. Through binoculars I can see the tail.
Took some pics with the phone, they don’t show any tail, so I’ll return tomoz with a proper camera.

dv said:

So I’ve seen it, at least.
It’s past the first quarter moon now, so the sky is not dark, but I’ve perceived the beast with naked eye, but it’s just a dot, to me. Through binoculars I can see the tail.
Took some pics with the phone, they don’t show any tail, so I’ll return tomoz with a proper camera.

Where to look roughly, and what time?

I was looking to where the sun was setting just a bit before and after sunset. Till about 7 pm, then I gave up and went back inside.

party_pants said:

dv said:

So I’ve seen it, at least.
It’s past the first quarter moon now, so the sky is not dark, but I’ve perceived the beast with naked eye, but it’s just a dot, to me. Through binoculars I can see the tail.
Took some pics with the phone, they don’t show any tail, so I’ll return tomoz with a proper camera.

Where to look roughly, and what time?

I was looking to where the sun was setting just a bit before and after sunset. Till about 7 pm, then I gave up and went back inside.

Look about 40 degrees to the right of where the sun sets. But it’s nothing to look at now with naked eye, just looks like a dim star.

Managed to get a few pictures before the moon came up tonight.

I dare say I can improve this image with processing.

dv said:

Managed to get a few pictures before the moon came up tonight.

I dare say I can improve this image with processing.

What equipment did you use?

A Nikon D3100

I really need to get out into the grey zone

dv said:

I really need to get out into the grey zone

It makes a huge difference.

dv said:

I really need to get out into the grey zone

Get out into the grey zone and photograph Andromeda.

:)

dv said:

Managed to get a few pictures before the moon came up tonight.

I dare say I can improve this image with processing.

I now realise I didn’t have my aperture maximised lol

I had it open on my zoom lens but restricted on the camera.

dv said:

dv said:

Managed to get a few pictures before the moon came up tonight.

I dare say I can improve this image with processing.

I now realise I didn’t have my aperture maximised lol

I had it open on my zoom lens but restricted on the camera.

Wow. nice obs, can I see it at the mo and if so where should I look?

dv said:

dv said:

Managed to get a few pictures before the moon came up tonight.

I dare say I can improve this image with processing.

I now realise I didn’t have my aperture maximised lol

I had it open on my zoom lens but restricted on the camera.

Damn.

gaghalfrunt said:

dv said:

dv said:

Managed to get a few pictures before the moon came up tonight.

I dare say I can improve this image with processing.

I now realise I didn’t have my aperture maximised lol

I had it open on my zoom lens but restricted on the camera.

Wow. nice obs, can I see it at the mo and if so where should I look?

where do you live