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Date: 23 Oct 2006 21:19:16
From: Willie R. Meghar
Subject: Comet SWAN - Naked-eye?
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Can anyone confirm?
I just came in from a quick look at Comet SWAN. My sky was somewhat
engulfed in thin clouds but:
I started looking at SWAN with 20x80 binoculars, compared SWAN with
M13, noticed that SWAN was smaller, greener, and *brighter*. This got
me thinking: 'naked-eye?'
After comparing the naked-eye view with the view in small (8x42)
binoculars and charts, it looked like I was seeing Comet SWAN between
Zeta and Kappa Coronae Borealis with the naked-eye!
Going out of focus with the small binoculars, Comet SWAN appeared
equal in brightness to Kappa Coronae Borealis. The naked-eye
comparison resulted in the same conclusion.
Time of suspected naked-eye sighting: 2:35 UT and 2:45 UT, ober
24th UT.
Someone please tell me I'm not imagining this! (Or correct me if I'm
in error.) Thanks!
Willie R. Meghar
Observational Notes at:
http://meghar.blogspot.com/
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Date: 24 Oct 2006 05:25:27
From: Dave Mitsky
Subject: Re: Comet SWAN - Naked-eye?
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Willie,
A Canadian amateur astronomer, who I believe to be very credible,
reported a naked-eye sighting on the evening of ober 19.
Willie R. Meghar wrote:
> Can anyone confirm?
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Date: 24 Oct 2006 09:13:32
From: Greg Crinklaw
Subject: Re: Comet SWAN - Naked-eye?
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Dave Mitsky wrote:
> Willie,
>
> A Canadian amateur astronomer, who I believe to be very credible,
> reported a naked-eye sighting on the evening of ober 19.
I and a friend saw it naked eye on Sunday. Not easy though and we had a
pretty good location.
Greg
--
Greg Crinklaw
Astronomical Software Developer
Cloudcroft, New Mexico, USA (33N, 106W, 2700m)
SkyTools: http://www.skyhound.com/cs.html
Observing: http://www.skyhound.com/sh/skyhound.html
Comets: http://www.skyhound.com/sh/comets.html
To reply take out your eye
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Date: 24 Oct 2006 13:28:43
From: Greg Crinklaw
Subject: Re: Comet SWAN - Naked-eye?
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There are spurious reports coming in that C/2006 M4 (SWAN) has suddenly
brightened by up to a magnitude, making it an easier naked-eye object.
Greg
--
Greg Crinklaw
Astronomical Software Developer
Cloudcroft, New Mexico, USA (33N, 106W, 2700m)
SkyTools: http://www.skyhound.com/cs.html
Observing: http://www.skyhound.com/sh/skyhound.html
Comets: http://www.skyhound.com/sh/comets.html
To reply take out your eye
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Date: 24 Oct 2006 15:17:37
From: John Banister
Subject: Re: Comet SWAN - Naked-eye?
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I viewed it last night (Mon) with a 10" newt. I did not try to find it
visually. In fact, I got out late and the comet was at about 10 deg.
altitude. I thought I had missed my chance.
However, it was much brighter than when I viewed it with the same scope 10
days previously. It had a star-like nucleus and the tail was faintly
evident out to about 30'. I was surprised since I thought it was supposed
to be getting dimmer.
If it keeps up like this, I have little doubt that it will be a naked-eye
object, even if it isn't already.
-John
"Greg Crinklaw" <theskyhoundyoureye@yahoo.com > wrote in message
news:b6ddd$453e6966$4212a52c$23562@TULAROSA.NET...
> There are spurious reports coming in that C/2006 M4 (SWAN) has suddenly
> brightened by up to a magnitude, making it an easier naked-eye object.
>
> Greg
>
> --
> Greg Crinklaw
> Astronomical Software Developer
> Cloudcroft, New Mexico, USA (33N, 106W, 2700m)
>
> SkyTools: http://www.skyhound.com/cs.html
> Observing: http://www.skyhound.com/sh/skyhound.html
> Comets: http://www.skyhound.com/sh/comets.html
>
> To reply take out your eye
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Date: 24 Oct 2006 22:53:31
From: Pete Lawrence
Subject: Re: Comet SWAN - Naked-eye?
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On Tue, 24 2006 13:28:43 -0600, Greg Crinklaw
<theskyhoundyoureye@yahoo.com > wrote:
>There are spurious reports coming in that C/2006 M4 (SWAN) has suddenly
>brightened by up to a magnitude, making it an easier naked-eye object.
The comet was easy naked eye from my location this evening. I
estimated it to be marginally brighter than kappa CrB (+4.8).
--
Pete
http://www.digitalsky.org.uk
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Date: 24 Oct 2006 14:56:41
From: Willie R. Meghar
Subject: Re: Comet SWAN - Naked-eye?
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Greg Crinklaw <theskyhoundyoureye@yahoo.com > wrote:
>There are spurious reports coming in that C/2006 M4 (SWAN) has suddenly
>brightened by up to a magnitude, making it an easier naked-eye object.
A sudden brightening seems the most likely explanation to me. My own
earlier attempts to see this comet naked-eye were too uncertain to
mention; but last night C/2006 M4 (SWAN) appeared to be an obvious
naked-eye object.
Willie R. Meghar
Observational Notes at:
http://meghar.blogspot.com/
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Date: 24 Oct 2006 19:46:29
From: William Hamblen
Subject: Re: Comet SWAN - Naked-eye?
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On 2006-10-24, Willie R Meghar <NoMail@thisaddress.net > wrote:
> A sudden brightening seems the most likely explanation to me. My own
> earlier attempts to see this comet naked-eye were too uncertain to
> mention; but last night C/2006 M4 (SWAN) appeared to be an obvious
> naked-eye object.
Not naked eye for me at about 7:00 PM CDT, ober 24, 2006, but
visible in 7x50 binoculars from my back yard in Nashville, TN.
I couldn't make out the tail. The head of the comet seemed
fairly bright.
Bud
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Date: 29 Oct 2006 01:29:25
From: Internet Banality
Subject: Re: Comet SWAN - Naked-eye?
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Dave Mitsky wrote:
> Willie,
>
> A Canadian amateur astronomer, who I believe to be very credible,
> reported a naked-eye sighting on the evening of ober 19.
>
and the incredible Canadian observers?
>
> Willie R. Meghar wrote:
> > Can anyone confirm?
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Date: 29 Oct 2006 01:13:13
From: David Knisely
Subject: Re: Comet SWAN - Naked-eye?
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Well, I don't know about Canadians, but tonight at Homestead National
Monument (near Beatrice, Nebraska), I could see Comet Swan with the
unaided eye (averted vision) despite the fat crescent moon being up. It
was probably 5th magnitude, but even in the telescope, the tail was
marginal in the moonlight (maybe 1.5 degrees long). It does show a nice
nuclear condensation and a pretty faint bluish color though. Clear
skies to you.
--
David W. Knisely KA0CZC@navix.net
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/
**********************************************
* Attend the 13th Annual NEBRASKA STAR PARTY *
* July 23-28, 2006, Merritt Reservoir *
* http://www.NebraskaStarParty.org *
**********************************************
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Date: 29 Oct 2006 17:39:59
From: John Banister
Subject: Re: Comet SWAN - Naked-eye?
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Ditto for me Sat. night. Got it with direct vision some of the time.
Looked almost as bright as M31 under the same moon.
-John
"David Knisely" <KA0CZC@navix.net > wrote in message
news:ea0fa$45445445$471d432b$25442@ALLTEL.NET...
> Well, I don't know about Canadians, but tonight at Homestead National
> Monument (near Beatrice, Nebraska), I could see Comet Swan with the
> unaided eye (averted vision) despite the fat crescent moon being up.
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Date: 24 Oct 2006 19:34:15
From:
Subject: Re: Comet SWAN - Naked-eye?
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Willie R. Meghar wrote:
> Can anyone confirm?
I saw it EASILY with the naked-eye under severely light-polluted skies
at ober 25.0 UT (Tuesday evening in North America). I did not have
time to do a proper magnitude estimate (which I can't really do anyway
under such lousy bright skies), but I'd say it was at least magnitude
4.0, and perhaps even a half-magnitude brighter than that. It was quite
impressive, though featureless, in binoculars, appearing quite strongly
condensed. Observing location: 20 miles north of Atlanta GA, USA.
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Date: 25 Oct 2006 03:33:12
From: Florian
Subject: Re: Comet SWAN - Naked-eye?
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>I saw it EASILY with the naked-eye under severely light-polluted skies
>at ober 25.0 UT (Tuesday evening in North America).
You have impressive/unbelievable observing skills! Comet was not visible =
naked eye through my moderately light polluted mag 4.5 or so skies. =
However=20
very bright and easy through 76mm refractor and binoculars. Globulars =
M13=20
and M92 were also visible through the scope.
.Florian
Palm Springs, Calif.
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Date: 29 Oct 2006 18:44:13
From: Nick Theodorakis
Subject: Re: Comet SWAN - Naked-eye?
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John Banister wrote:
> Ditto for me Sat. night. Got it with direct vision some of the time.
> Looked almost as bright as M31 under the same moon.
>
> -John
>
> "David Knisely" <KA0CZC@navix.net> wrote in message
> news:ea0fa$45445445$471d432b$25442@ALLTEL.NET...
> > Well, I don't know about Canadians, but tonight at Homestead National
> > Monument (near Beatrice, Nebraska), I could see Comet Swan with the
> > unaided eye (averted vision) despite the fat crescent moon being up.
I had a look tonight under very poor skies; it was the first clear
night after a few days of rain. I'm in northeast suburban Indianapolis
and there is major light pollution in the area.
Around 7:30 pm EST I looked to see if the Keystone was clear of clouds.
It was, but the even the asterism was barely naked-eye visible, so
there was no hope of seeing the comet without help. I swept the are
with 10x50 binocs and found it easily enough; a smudge of light but no
tail visible. I came inside to get a scope; I have a choice between two
Orion Dobs -- a 4.5 in and a 10 in. I briefly thought about bringing
the 4.5 in because of its ease of setup, but decided to go with 10 in.
After setup and aligning the finder, I swept through Hercules and found
the comet in the finderscope. I was able to get a good look through the
scope; I could see a diffuse bluish-grey nebulosity that was somewhat
reminiscent of nebular DSOs. I thought I could see a hint of a tail off
to one side, but that could have been wishful thinking. To make sure I
didn't just rediscover M13 by accident, I star-hopped over that way and
found it. The view of M13 confirmed how bad the sky was tonight;
normally with this scope (even in this location)
I can see a good sugar-grainy view of M13 but tonight it was dimmer
than usual.
Nick
--
Nick Theodorakis
nick_theodorakis@hotmail.com
contact form:
http://theodorakis.net/contact.html
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