Astroblog: Morning Pojmanski

Monday, February 27, 2006

Morning Pojmanski

This was the best morning for Pojmanski hunting in days. The clouds which had plagued us had finally gone, the morning was crisp and clear with much of the junk in the sky washed away by recent rains. There was no breath of wind, and the Milky Way could be seen arching across the sky. Better yet, the comet was just above beta Capricornii, so you could hardly have a better signpost. I picked it up easily in binoculars, but couldn't see any tail (this is probably my eyesight, I seem to be poorly sensitive to diffuse cometary tails, other have reported short tails in binoculars).

As well, Venus was a blazing beacon, I saw an Iridium flare along Scorpius, and as the sky paled I picked up a thin sliver of Moon rising above the eastern horizon. Not a bad morning at all. Tomorrow the comet will be under alpha Capricornii, well worth looking for.

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 7:05 am

Comments:

Apparently it is now visible up here in the northern hemisphere, or so I've heard. Will take a look in the morning.

# posted by

Anonymous : 9:57 am

It should be roughly 9 degrees above the horizon at astronomical twiglight, and this morning it will be close to alpha Capricornii, so that will be a bonus.

# posted by