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Main Boards => News and Articles => Topic started by: Birdman on 17:31:35, 23/07/20

Title: Did anybody see comet Neowise?
Post by: Birdman on 17:31:35, 23/07/20
I saw it from my tent on 21st July 00:30 while camping somewhere on the South Downs Way. It was stunning with its long tail, especially seen through binoculars. The most beautiful comet that I have seen in my life.


It can still be seen and apparently today it is at it closest point to the earth:
https://earthsky.org/space/how-to-see-comet-c2020-f3-neowise (https://earthsky.org/space/how-to-see-comet-c2020-f3-neowise)
Title: Re: Did anybody see comet Neowise?
Post by: Dyffryn Ardudwy on 17:42:45, 23/07/20
Ive seen the comet on several occasions, when the weather allows.

Its not quite a naked eye object, but once you locate it, to the bottom right of the Plough star system, its then fairly easy to spot, but without the aid of binoculars, it can be hit and miss.

Its now getting higher in the sky, but its nowhere near as impressive as Hale Bopp, back in 1995, that was probably a once in a lifetime object, incredibly bright.


I even went to Dyffryn Gardens outside Cardiff, to see Halleys comet back in 1986.


The Cardiff Astronomical society were holding several night time observation evenings, but without the aid of their very powerful and expensive mirror telescope, the comet was a non event, very difficult to spot, even with good binoculars.

At least i can say ive seen Neowise, Hale Bopp and Halleys, but Neowise is not as bright as anticipated, unlike Hale Bopp, which was so bright, that even the light of the Moon could not block it out in the night sky.
Title: Re: Did anybody see comet Neowise?
Post by: ninthace on 18:03:42, 23/07/20
Looked at it 2 nights ago from the back garden, barely a naked eye object but good through binoculars.
Title: Re: Did anybody see comet Neowise?
Post by: Birdman on 18:42:52, 23/07/20
Ive seen the comet on several occasions, when the weather allows.

Its not quite a naked eye object, but once you locate it, to the bottom right of the Plough star system, its then fairly easy to spot, but without the aid of binoculars, it can be hit and miss.

Its now getting higher in the sky, but its nowhere near as impressive as Hale Bopp, back in 1995, that was probably a once in a lifetime object, incredibly bright.


I even went to Dyffryn Gardens outside Cardiff, to see Halleys comet back in 1986.


The Cardiff Astronomical society were holding several night time observation evenings, but without the aid of their very powerful and expensive mirror telescope, the comet was a non event, very difficult to spot, even with good binoculars.

At least i can say ive seen Neowise, Hale Bopp and Halleys, but Neowise is not as bright as anticipated, unlike Hale Bopp, which was so bright, that even the light of the Moon could not block it out in the night sky.


When Hale Bopp was so bright, that was in 1997. I could see it from the centre of St Petersburg (I was travelling) without even knowing it's position at the time. But although bright, I didn't find it as impressive because I couldn't see a long tail like I saw on Neowise. But of course I saw Neowise in much better conditions... First time I saw a comet with such a long tail.


I've seen Halley too in 1986, but that was a huge disappointment after all the hype.


Another bright one was Holmes in 2007 (?), which I could clearly see from central Southampton, also without knowing its location. But that was just a round blob.


My first comet was Encke in 1980, when I was 12 years old, but I needed a telescope for that and it was not spectacular, just my first.
Title: Re: Did anybody see comet Neowise?
Post by: Dyffryn Ardudwy on 18:52:57, 23/07/20
I should have said, Hale Bopp was first discovered in 1995, and it was a dazzling site in the night sky, from February all the way July back in 1997.
Title: Re: Did anybody see comet Neowise?
Post by: Birdman on 19:07:09, 23/07/20

Yes, it was quite an event

Quote
Soon after the 1995 discovery of the comet Hale-Bopp, the Heaven’s Gate members became convinced that an alien spacecraft was on its way to earth, hidden from human detection behind the comet. In October 1996, Applewhite rented a large home in Rancho Santa Fe, explaining to the owner that his group was made up of Christian-based angels. Applewhite advocated sexual abstinence, and several male cult members followed his example by undergoing castration operations.
In 1997, as part of its 4,000-year orbit of the sun, the comet Hale-Bopp passed near Earth in one of the most impressive astronomical events of the 20th century. In late March 1997, as Hale-Bopp reached its closest distance to Earth, Applewhite and 38 of his followers drank a lethal mixture of phenobarbital and vodka and then lay down to die, hoping to leave their bodily containers, enter the alien spacecraft, and pass through Heaven’s Gate into a higher existence.
Title: Re: Did anybody see comet Neowise?
Post by: Lee R on 20:32:17, 23/07/20
Me & my boy went out Sunday night into Monday morning. Only just visible to the naked eye for us where we were. Bright enough to locate it, but not quite bright enough to actually 'see' it.


(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50137340358_2f0c3e4b51_b.jpg) (http://)
*** (https://flic.kr/p/2josYwJ) by Lee (https://www.flickr.com/photos/ratters445/), on Flickr
Title: Re: Did anybody see comet Neowise?
Post by: Strider on 20:32:57, 23/07/20
Not yet, it's always been cloudy to the north when I look for it.    No one's mentioned Hyakutake (1996) which was naked-eye visibility, and distinctly green in colour.

Jupiter and Saturn are very prominent in the night sky at the moment, if you're up just before sunrise you may just get to see five planets - Jupiter and Saturn to the west, Mars in the south and Venus and Mercury in the east.  Six  if you look down at your feet ;)

Check out https://stellarium-web.org/     you'll need to change your location (bottom left) and the time (bottom right)


Good pic Lee!
Title: Re: Did anybody see comet Neowise?
Post by: archaeoroutes on 22:30:16, 23/07/20
Neowise is OK with naked eye in Somerset, and good with binoculars.
I remember being very disappointed with Halley's in 1986.
Hyukutake was OK.
But my lasting comet favourite was Hale-Bopp. I did Ingleborough by night and with it and the moon didn't need a torch.