Wolverhampton Astronomical Society

Established 1951

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I thought I would start an observer’s log for this object as it is predicted "hoped" to become a good naked eye object in January. With an orbit of 120,000 years we wont get another chance at this very long period Comet. The Geocentric data has been extracted from the www.heavens-above.com web site, where excellent finder charts can also be found.

(UT Universal Time, and GMT Greenwich Mean Time are the same during the British winter)

MG - Visual observation

My first sighting, looking right and down from Rigel in the constellation Orion, "Beta Ori". The comet located south east of star 39 Eridanus, "39 Eri". A feint fuzzy blob in 10X50 binoculars about 2/3rds the size of the full moon and showing the smallest sign of a tail up/north.

Tried to set up my 80mm refractor but beaten by cloud.

MG - Visual observation

Moon now waxing gibbous, past first quarter and approaching the area of sky the comet occupies, is detracting from our view.

Easy though, to find in the binoculars, but appears fainter due to the moonlight.

I set up the 80mm refractor with a 25mm eye piece and used the binoculars to help me star hop from Zurak, gamma Eri until I found it.

The scope did not reveal any more detail than the binos. This is something I have noticed with comet observation in the past. Good binoculars really are one of the most useful tools an astronomer can have.

No visual observation

RA 4h 18m 19.1s

Dec -11° 2’ 40"

Constellation Eridanus

Magnitude 4.8

Dist from Earth 0.4179 AU

Light Time 209 seconds

No visual observation

RA 4h 11m 31.1s

Dec -6° 40’ 38"

Constellation Eridanus

Magnitude 4.6

Dist from Earth 0.3956 AU

Light Time 197 seconds

MG - Visual observation

The comet has moved a few degrees north since my last observation, and although I finally have a break in the clouds the moon is nearing full making it appear much fainter. I located it close to Omicron Eridanus. Roll on early 2005 when the moon will be out of the way.

No visual observation

RA 3h 54m 1.8s

Dec 6° 38’ 41"

Constellation Taurus

Magnitude 4.3

Dist from Earth 0.3571 AU

Light Time 178 seconds

MG - Visual observation

RA 3h 49m 30.1s

Dec 10° 31’ 25"

Constellation Taurus

Magnitude 4.2

Dist from Earth 0.3517 AU

Light Time 176 seconds

The comet has moved much higher in the sky into the constellation Taurus and is located between Aldebaran Alpha Tauri, and lambda Tauri, just below the star 30 Tau.

With a lot of fast moving cloud, I have only managed short glimpses not a good long look. With the moon not yet risen the comet is very easy to find in binoculars, despite the cloud movement, and looks much brighter without the moonlight. It might be a naked eye object at magnitude 4.2 in a less light polluted sky. Might take a trip out to a darker spot, predictable break in the cloud willing.

The comet is fast approaching and will pass close to the Pleiades making it even easier to find. Hope others of you out there can find it and add to the above information.

Dark skies

Mike Gallear