Re: Any folks "Down Under" want to comment on Comet McNaught?

"Patrick Edward Murray" <ed1ward2@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:1169159932.492586.229390@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

Saw this image this morning...reminds me of images I saw of Comet West
in 1976
Any comments from friends down under?? We would like to hear from you
and see your photos too!


I will try to get a photo this evening if it is clear. I am located in
Auckland NZ (around 37 deg S). Until yesterday evening I was unable to get
a chance to see the comet, as the Western sky was clouded out at dusk.
Finally yesterday the evening sky was clear apart from some thin high cloud
which wasn't causing a problem from were I was viewing. The comet and its'
tail was readily visible to the unadied eye around 08:00 UTC 21:00 NZ DST
onwards). In my 10X50 binoculars the view was spectacular with a broad and
slightly curving tail - I was unable to distinguish/separate plasma and
dust tail - maybe they are coincident to the line of sight. The head of the
comet looked slightly lumpy or irregular. Certainly the most impressive
comet I have ever seen. It made the local TV late news last night.

I was viewing on the sidewalk with three others and we had a van driver
pull up to see what we were looking at. After showing him the view through
a pair of binos, he rang his wife at home and he reported that she had a
good view from their garden.

This picture on the S&T web site was taken a couple of hundred miles South
of here:

http://skytonight.com/news/5231826.html

Cheers Klazmon.
.

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