Astroblog: Comet McNaught Again! (Wed 17th)

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Comet McNaught Again! (Wed 17th)

Wednesday afternoon didn't look to promising, clouds hugged the horizon for most of the afternoon. Around 20 minutes aftersunset I wandered out to have a look, and couldn't see anything but a band of cloud below Venus.

Then I moved a step to the right of my viewing area and the comet popped out from behind a house roof. It had changed position much more than I expected.

It was beautiful, it hung very clear and bright in the evening sky, in a crystal band of blue above the cloud. I estimate it was probably as bright as Sirius, definitly less bright than Venus, but still very bright.

I ran inside and got the kids, and we all marvelled at it for a while until the lure of "The Lion, the Witch and Wardrobe" got too much for the kids. Then I got the camera, and rushed up to the beach...just in time to see the comet vanish behind the cloud. Myself and some other comet afficionadoes hung around for a while, and were rewarded with the comet breaking through the clouds (see picture above). I've made an animation of the comet pasing through the cloud bands (4 Mb file). Then the comet vanished in the murk abnd the footpath cometographers stood around a while saying how fantastic it was before heading home.

The forcast for the next few days is rain, I'd be dissapointed except I know how much the firefighters and folks threatened by fires need a break, lets hope they get some relief.

Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught