On 22/12/2006, in the thresd [Aurora Alert ] Christmas Sky Sights,  Ian Musgrave posted:

A Merry Christmas and happy New Year to you all.

This coming solar cycle, heralded by the series of X class flares we saw, may be a doozie.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/21dec_cycle24.htm?list28479

I'm off for two weeks holiday, so if anything exciting happens, you won't hear about it from me. But I'll leave you with a couple of Christmas Sky events to keep you looking up.

On December 23 some locations will see the bright space shuttle leading the more bright ISS across the morning sky past the pointers and the Southern Cross (between 3 am and 4:30 am, check http://www.heavens-above.com/ for prediction for your site).

People who are up early Christmas Morn looking for Santa can see the bright ISS also close to the Southern Cross and Pointers. again check http://www.heavens-above.com/ for your location.

On the morning of Sunday January 7, the Moon is just below Saturn.

A bright comet in January? Comet 2006/P1 McNaught may or may not become bright enough to see with the unaided eye after January 15 - estimates on its appearance vary from it disintegrating totally on passage of the Sun to being a fuzzy dot to very bright. On January 18, if it survives the sun,  it will probably appear low in the western evening sky, and  possibly be as bright as gamma Crucis (the bottom star of the long axis of the Southern Cross). Certainly, anyone with binoculars should scan the evening twilight for this comet after January 15. for more info, other planet events and maps see
http://home.mira.net/~reynella/skywatch/ssky.htm


and in the thread Bright Comet 2006/P1 McNaught:

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! To those who sent me Christmas and/or New year wishes, thank you, I've only just got back from holidays, so I haven't replied to you. Hello to new subscribers too!

The next solar cycle could be very big, so we may have some auroral delights ahead of us,
<http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/21dec_cycle24.htm?list28479>http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/21dec_cycle24.htm?list28479
just last week some massive CME's made SOHO's image of the week http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/pickoftheweek/

But the big news is Comet 2006/P1 McMcNaught. If it survives its close encounter with the Sun, it could become very bright in the Southern hemisphere skies. Unfortunately, it will be also close to the horizon, making it likely we will only see it in binoculars. But as Australian astronomers have been following it with telescopes in the daytime, there is the possibility of a nice view with the unaided eye. The comet will only become visible in Australia on the 15th (next Monday evening) low in the western twilight. A spotters map is here http://home.mira.net/~reynella/skywatch/gifs/jan_p1.gif People should start looking low to the left of Venus (the brightest object above the horizon) between 20 to 30 minutes after sunset, binoculars would be best for this.

For more information, images of the comet from the Northern Hemisphere, Terry Lovejoys daylight image, other maps and links to the STERO and SOHO spacecraft , see http://astroblogger.blogspot.com/2007/01/comet-p1-mcnaught-is-bright.html
Astroblog will have updates of this exciting comet as they come.



Ian Musgrave answered:

Beautiful! Links to a great animation,  are here http://astroblogger.blogspot.com/2007/01/animated-comet-2006p1-mcnaught.html and lots of links to new images and a great new animation are here http://astroblogger.blogspot.com/2007/01/more-images-of-comet-206p1-mcnaught.html

and in the thread Comet McNaught:

Comet McNaught has been reported visible during daylight with the unaided eye! . The comet will become visible in Australia on the 15th (this Monday evening) low in the western twilight. A spotters map is here http://home.mira.net/~reynella/skywatch/gifs/jan_p1.gif People should start looking low to the left of Venus (the brightest object above the horizon) between 20 to 30 minutes after sunset. I would advise starting to look 20 minutes after sunset, aided by binoculars, looking around two handspans to the left of Venus, and just four fingerwidths above the horizon. The Comet should be quite bright, a bit dimmer than Venus, but may be hard to spot in the horizon murk (hence using binoculars will help)

For more information,see http://astroblogger.blogspot.com/2007/01/comet-2996p1-mcnaught-visible-in.html for maps and recent images and videos.
Astroblog will have updates of this exciting comet as they come.

and:

I saw it! I saw it! It was fantastic. I also saw it at 1:00 pm in daylight as well, I'll put up a detailed account at astroblog after I've put the kids to bed. Beats Halley hands down.

Listen to the Tony Delroy show 702 ABC, at 10:00 pm AEST (NOW!) or listen via computer at http://www.abc.net.au/streaming/702/702stream.asx or realpayer from here, where Bernie Hobbes interviews an astronomer over the Comet.


Wolfie responded:

Melbourne skies are full of smoke again.
The sun was a very deep red as it was setting.

Saw bit of it Sunday 14 Jan. from Edithvale beach, Melbourne, but clouds took over. Monday 15 was a wash out after a red sun set. Will try again Tuesday from Edithvale, but prospects seem poor - 35 deg, smoke haze predicted . Seems 17 Jan is best time when it will be high in the sky and (hopefully) will be clear... or close.. 

Ah what the heck, a jog on the beach while waiting don't hurt anyway.

Nisaba Merrieweather wrote:

Like you, I had intermittent cloud, probably not the same pieces of cloud. And my western horizon is either rooftops, or if I stand in the middle of the side-street, a low hill on the other side of Tuggerah Lake, which I would have thought wouldn't be too high.

I'll be out there with my binoculars again tonight.


Jim Smart reported:

New Zealand has had cloudy weather for much of the past two weeks but last night (Feb 16) at around 2130 the sky cleared around Christchurch for long enough to get good views of Comet McNaught plus a reasonable photo. It is an excellent comet!

Another observer that evening said he had also seen it with binoculars at around midday that day.


Ian Musgrave posted:

Comet McNaught has been putting on a spectacular display for those of us not covered in cloud or fighting bushfires. Saturday and Sunday should be especially good. On Saturday the very thin crescent Moon is just below Venus, and off to the south-west is comet P1 McNaught. This will look fantastic. Comet McNaught is just getting just getting better and better. It's getting dimmer, but higher in the sky so it is easier to see, and it has an http://msowww.anu.edu.au/%7Ermn/C2006P1.htm amazing tail. Sunday night the crescent Moon will be higher (as will the comet) and this should be just as beautiful. See http://astroblogger.blogspot.com/ for images from aurond Australia and New Zealand of this great comet.



Nisaba Merrieweather wrote:


Which of us Aussies had a look towards the south-western sky in twilight last night?

I've had two previous goes and misswed both times - Lyndon rang me last night and forced me out of doors, so on finding something wonderful heading rapidly for the horizon, I rang one of our many Peters and ordered him out of the house too.

This was in twilight, and hte comet trail was impressive. I went out when the sky was totally dark to see how the fireworks would have looked then, just to find that it was already well over the horizon. I was glad I went out in the gloaming.  My daughter, who thinks I'm a nerd and comets are nerdy things, surriptitiously took two photos of it <grin>.


Nisaba cackled:



Nice pic. Turned out better than my daughter's mobile phone pic. My digital camera went the way of all flesh a month or two ago, so your and her pics are all I have.

Permission is granted to use the pics in an educational manner as long as acknowledgment is displayed.

Cool. If my daughter were younger, I'd make her take the photos along for show'n'tell when school goes back in. I know we have a few science teachers here - maybe in the coming term you could ask your classes for a show of hands and get them to discuss their impressions? Then one or two of 'em might realise science may actually be a part of life.

Would like to thank Nisaba for her phonecall to me tonight to alert me.

<cackle> I like to share Good Things with my friends. Credit should go to Lyndon - I'd tried to spot it a few times in worse weather and/or when it was too low to the horizon, and missed every time. Lyndon forced me out of doors to get eaten by squitoes, and I had to walk halfway to Gosford to get a decent view (well, to hte next corner anyway), but it was worth it.

G'dday.

Which of us Aussies had a look towards the south-western sky in  twilight last night?

Ian Musgrave wrote:

At 12:06 PM 20/01/2007, Nisaba wrote:

G'dday.

Which of us Aussies had a look towards the south-western sky in twilight last night?

I was clouded and rained out on the 19th. On the 20th, despite gale force winds, hurrying cloud and sporadic rain, I actually saw the comets tail. The Tale is recounted fully, with link to pictures from other folks at Astroblog
http://astroblogger.blogspot.com/2007/01/well-that-was-unique.html

If Hugie is kind we will have clear skies tonight.

Check out the Ice in Space threads for more Aussie comet images http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=16333

Gordon Garrad's imgaes of the comet http://members.ozemail.com.au/%7Eloomberah/mcnaught.htm
and not least Rob McNaught (the bloke who found it) has some great images too. http://msowww.anu.edu.au/~rmn/C2006P1new.htm
They are similar to Gordon's because their cameras were pretty much side by side.

I've had two previous goes and misswed both times - Lyndon rang me last night and forced me out of doors, so on finding something wonderful heading rapidly for the horizon, I rang one of our many Peters and ordered him out of the house too.

Just a reminder to everyone, if you haven't seen anything so far, try again over the next few nights, the comet is truly spectacular, and your effort will be rewarded. I have a astronomy type map here http://home.mira.net/%7Ereynella/skywatch/gifs/jan_p1.gif except at twilight you will only be able to see Venus, the two brightes stars of Gus and Fomalhut (alpha Piscinis Australis)
and a more general skyview map here http://astroblogger.blogspot.com/2007/01/comet-moon-and-venus-saturday-jan-20th.html tonight the Moon will be higher and the comets tail is much longer and pointing up. I'll try and do a horizon map for tonight shortly.

This was in twilight, and hte comet trail was impressive. I went out when the sky was totally dark to see how the fireworks would have looked then, just to find that it was already well over the horizon. I was glad I went out in the gloaming.  My daughter, who thinks I'm a nerd and comets are nerdy things, surriptitiously took two photos of it <grin>.

See, it IS spectacular if non-nerds like it, even my boys were impressed.

and:

At 11:40 PM 19/01/2007, Peter wrote:

Photos from Wyoming, near Gosford, 80km north from Sydney this evening:
http://www.adderley.net.au/astro/comets
The linked pics are the originals so please handle with care.
Permission is granted to use the pics in an educational manner as long as acknowledgment is displayed.
Please respect IP laws.

That is absolutely fantastic. Lets hope you get some more.

Would like to thank Nisaba for her phonecall to me tonight to alert me.

I'd like to thank Nisaba as well, otherwise we wouldn't have such great shots.

Tonight's display was way beyond expectation. After several evenings of utter disappointment, the view was quite stunning and possibly could also be tomorrow night, Saturday 20th!. Stay tuned to your sky, not the channel. Observe and photograph this rare event. My camera is nothing unusual and is not even connected to my telescope.
If you have a camera of any sort, you won't even need to zoom to capture this rare event.

Comet McNaught looks to be a Great Comet, one of those rare bright comets that put on superb displays. If you haven't seen it, it will be visible for some fdays yet, so do try asnd have a look, you will be well rewarded.

Here is my animation from the 17th (warning 4 Mb file, ie BIG, long downloads for dialup users) http://home.mira.net/%7Ereynella1/astronomy/McNaught_anim_17-01-07.gif

On the 20th, despite gale force winds, hurrying cloud and sporadic rain, I actually saw the comets tail.

Kevin MacKern wrote:

I took a few pics Saturday night.
http://picasaweb.google.com.au/kevin.mckern/Comet201

Cheers all!

Hi All. With all this talk of comets I thought I'd remind everyone,that the age of the dinosaurs was brought to an end by the impact of a comet 65 million years ago.But this wasn'nt the first blast from space to cause extinctions of life on Earth, and it won't be the last.By looking at the moon, astronomers calculate that there have  been at least 40 impacts as big as the one that killed the dinosaurs since life began on Earth 4 billion years ago. Happy comet watching all.

Ray Stephens added:

Since the dinosaurs weren't quite killed off entirely, since crocodiles and tuatara are still with us, and also because many of their feathered relatives now rule the skies, I don't think we have anything to worry about.

Individually, the probability is far higher that you'll be killed by a flying car rather than a falling rock, and so far as the species goes, it isn't really a personal issue unless you happen to be the last one here.

And if so, will you please turn off the lights before you go.
(although, I imagine that they'll eventually go out on their own)

If we're out of here like T.rex, on the positive side of things, it might leave an opportunity open for dolphins or octopus to evolve into something better than us.  Or maybe, worse.

Well...I have been interested in everything astro since I was small...but tonight...after days of either smoke, cloud or rain...I saw the comet...

It was the most spectacular thing it has been my privilege to watch...it was waaaay brighter than I expected and its tail was at least a handspan width at full stretch...

I am in awe.

Peter Adderley responded:

You had to be there indeed. Which night do you mean though?
It's now Mon 22 and I haven't even bothered to look tonight.
My obs, thanks to Nisaba allowed me to take these pics last Friday:
http://www.adderley.net.au/astro/comets/
Shows the beautiful tail swinging up and around to the right.
30 sec exposure.


:D



Margaret Ruwoldt (Magrat) commented:

Nisaba remarked:

I have problems with calling it Comet McNaught...

<grins> I bet you'll enjoy this photo, though -- McNaught by McNaught:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070122.html

cheers--*


Eremia wrote:

I wanted to share with you the resplendent sightings of Comet McNaught that I have enjoyed over this way.For the past week I have been sprinkled with "Comet Dust".

Last Wednesday I drove to the Ravensthorpe Ranges to enjoy the spectacle. I arrived at the "lookout" site around 8.00pm. I sat perched like an Osprey on a small rocky outcrop. Below me the vista expanded into pockets of farming land, disclosing valleys of Mallee heath and lakes reflecting the fading light. The Sun began His rapid descent, leaving behind that warm red and golden hue. 

As I sat crouched in a ball of excited expectation I wondered why there were not a large gathering of humans to experience this magnificant heavenly display!  Such an occasion I thought is worthy of great celebration. Vibrating across the clear stereophonic air came the merriment of the Southern BooBook Owl. The beloved music of the night had begun. 

Under the surreal amphitheatre, in the midst of a wilderness I experienced a clear sense of the numinous; an expanding and embracing presence of my place in the world. I traced the horizon which displayed a fringed, mauve lace of Salmon Gums, weaving back into the fading blue. To my right I welcomed Venus, as she revealed her beauty, radiant and incandescent as predicted.

 The red sky began to fade, leaving a pink glow. I searched the blue, turquoise of the banded horizon. And there...Ah...busting into my hungry vision I sighted the Comet.I was totally dazzled with the resplendent display. I was bombarded with intense pleasure and joy, feeling privileged I harnessed the moment of splendiferous grandeur. The Comet was a bright ball, descending slowing into the lacy horizon. Streaming  behind her tail was  floating, like wispy hair from a prehistoric being. Filamentary, reaching out into a cone shape....her tail just seemed to go on forever. 

I was breathless at the sight of the "Jewel". I laughed, that belly laugh as if one is being tickled and finding the emotion hard to control. I turned my gaze to the south-west to find the lights of the small town of Ravensthorpe. I secretly wished that there was another human here on "my hilltop" to share the experience. I felt that tug of aloneness. I wondered what they all must be doing, locked indoors, separated from this world of splendour. A gently wind began moving amongst the Grevilleas and Banksias by my side. Tucked into the leaves of the Banksia was the woven handiwork of a Christmas Spider. My eyes became accustomed to the creeping darkness and I then spotted her; like a little coloured diamond. I felt her eyes peering back at me, shimmering like Mica. We were sharing an indelible sense of mystery. 

I remained on the rocky enclave for an hour, until Her tail had faded into the engulfing horizon. I drove slowly home feeling exhausted after the bombardment of such beauty. Slowly I drove down the mainstreet of Ravensthorpe, passing the local pub which was a hive of activity. Humans seemed to be busting out of the seams of the pub....cars tightly parked up the street. I passed a few houses that had curtains drawn. I wished that I was that little Christmas Spider so that I could weave a web by the window, and being unnoticed, I could peer through the openings in the curtains. I imagined that "He" would be sprawled out on the sofa, with stubby in hand. "She" would be gazing into the T.V, absorbed in the neuroticization of human life in the race for success, wealth and  power. The ethos of capitalism, competitive individualism and consumerism does not belong on my "hillltop". 

That night I slept soundly, bathed in "Comet Dust".

I repeated my pilgrimage for a further 4 nights. Sunday was the most spectacular of sightings. I have had such joyful, intimate evenings with the "Jewel" and the Christmas Spider. However, the past few nights have been heavy cloud cover. I know that she is over head, completing her celestial orbit, and engaged in my evening meditation. I am honoured that I was able to witness part of Her Journey and that She has enhanced and enriched my Journey.