Re: Comet Pojmanski (C2006 A1)

Pippen wrote:
I'm trying to find Comet Pojmanski (C2006 A1)... My Starry Night Enthusiast
(SN) show the best time to view is around 5:40 AM in Denver (actually just
west of Denver). SN shows this comet as a 6.53 Mag. Is this something I
should expect to see with an ETX 125 or am I expecting too much? I was
hoping the tail would make it easy to find...

Your ETX 125 can show this comet, but comets may be quite difficult to
see in a telescope eyepiece, especially if one is not an experienced
comet observer. Your sky won't be perfectly black -- it'll be some
shade of gray. Unfortunately, the comet will also be a shade of gray;
it won't stand out from the background the way a bright nebula will,
and you will be looking for a fuzzy gray blob against a gray
background.

I haven't seen Pojmanski myself yet, so I don't have a feel for how
difficult a target it is. Mag 6.5 should not be particularly difficult
if your skies are reasonably dark. These general recommendations should
help in any case: Ensure that your eyes are dark-adapted. Be sure that
the telescope is centered on the comet's position. Use a low-power
eyepiece; no amount of magnification is going to show you anything more
than a fuzzy blob unless the comet has an unusually bright nucleus, in
which case you might see a fuzzy gray blob with a fuzzy star embedded.
Use averted vision to look around the field of view. This can be key to
finding the comet. If necessary, slowly move the telescope back and
forth in R.A. or declination, returning always to the comet's position.
It is frequently possible to detect a dim object by seeing it move
within the field of view.

Happy hunting. Let us have a report!

Davoud

--
usenet *at* davidillig dawt com
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Comet Pojmanski (C2006 A1)
    ... SN shows this comet as a 6.53 Mag. ... Your ETX 125 can show this comet, but comets may be quite difficult to ... which case you might see a fuzzy gray blob with a fuzzy star embedded. ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: 73P/Schwassman
    ... The main comet is plenty bright too, and as if right now at approx. ... If you can manage a mag 7 star in your scope under your local conditions, ... If you have a mount that tracks, get on target, and check its position against the star field every half hour or so and you can sometimes visibly detect changes in position. ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: Comet 2006 M4 Swan from Gardena, California
    ... the comet was only around 30 deg alt in the NNW sky at 290 az. ... In a mag 4.3 heavily light polluted sky and use 8 x 35 binoculars, ... and 3 degrees northeast of del Boo and 3 degrees northwest of bet Boo ... is mag 4.3 mu01 Boo. ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Comet Holmes from Knoxville, TN
    ... urban light pollution, no clouds or haze, but air was slightly humid -- mag ... Comet Holmes was brilliant -- not as bright as Capella, ... Through the binos the comet looked like a fat star with slight "fuzz" around ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: 73P/Schwassman
    ... Component C has actually been seen naked eye now, and for a comet that's the big time. ... It's at least 7th mag now, ... I was again observing with a group last night. ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)