Comet Update

Date: 09 January 2007
Time: 14:11 - 14:16 U.T.
Telescope: 80mm f/5 refractor
Magnification: 24x
Seeing: Bad
NELM: Bright Twilight & Clouds
Temperature: +22 F (-6 C)

My morning sky was partly cloudy with enough clear area to provide some hope of seeing Comet McNaught. The comet was spotted in the small refractor at 14:11 U.T. just as it cleared my local horizon. The eastern sky was already quite bright. Clouds were in the immediate area around the comet. During the five minute observation the comet vanished at least twice behind clouds.

This was my poorest view of Comet McNaught so far. The seeing was bad. Clouds were present in my line of sight; and the sky was so bright that not much tail was visible. I took a few notes; but no sketch was made. The persistent clouds and brightening sky seemed reason enough to cut this session short.

Last night, under a 99.9% (at least!) cloud covered sky I used 8x42 binoculars to look through a solitary, narrow break in the clouds for the comet. Venus made a brief appearance; but nothing else was seen.

From here on, Comet NcNaught drops rapidly lower in my morning sky. This means that on each successive morning the comet will be in a brighter sky, making it increasingly difficult to see. My best chance of seeing the comet in the next few days will be in the evening sky -- weather permitting.