A Successful Comet Expedition

Date: 11 January 2007 U.T.
Time: 00:21 U.T.
Binoculars: 20x80
Seeing: Good
NELM: Twilight
Temperature: about +35F (+02C)

A growing concern brewed today. Comet McNaught was getting closer to the Sun and growing brighter every day. Would I get a chance to see it again? The weather forecast called for clouds tonight. The prospect for tomorrow looked even worse (no clear skies anywhere nearby). In a matter of days the comet will be too far south to be seen from my location.

Making use of the "Clear Sky Clocks", I checked projected satellite images for cloud cover and transparency in and around my area. Eventually I decided to travel to a semi-promising location in the region around the Montana - Wyoming - South Dakota border.

I quickly tossed into my Jeep a clipboard, one sheet of paper, a pencil, a pen and a flashlight along with 8x42 and 20x80 binoculars. I was soon on the road.

As I approached my targeted area, it began to look like the clouds would increase if I kept driving. So, about 1/2 hour before sunset I stopped about 30 miles short of my original goal. I was on a field-access trail facing west into the Sun.

I was beneath a gigantic V-shaped clearing with its apex near the Sun. Clouds were present to my left and right. A few low, scattered clouds were directly in front of me. Venus was spotted with the 8x42 binoculars, followed by the unaided-eye, prior to sunset. The comet was spotted at 23:37 U.T. (10 January U.T.) with the small binoculars shortly after sunset, higher in the sky than I had ever seen it before. A quick sketch was made at 23:47 U.T. with the aid of hand-held, 20x80 binoculars. I rested both elbows on the Jeep's fender to steady the view.

Some scattered clouds were just below the comet. I hopped into the Jeep and back-tracked about 8 miles to a location from which the comet could be better seen. During the drive I occasionally glanced out the driver's side window at the easily visible, naked-eye comet. I made another quick sketch at 00:04 U.T. (11 January U.T.) Then hopped back into the Jeep and back-tracked a few more miles. Finally, at 00:16 U.T. I stopped for my final observation. A careful sketch was made at this time. It was completed just before a major, low-lying cloud swallowed the comet permanently from view.

My observing locations were on either side of the tiny town of Hammond, Montana on Highway 212. The town of Hammond consisted of only one or two buildings -- or that was all I noticed in my preoccupied state of mind.

The above sketch is based on the final (00:16 U.T.) rough, 20x80 binocular sketch. Based on the 3.0 degree binocular field of view, I estimated the comet's tail to be 1.4 degrees in length. A rough estimate of the comet's brightness placed it at magnitude -2.7 (brighter than Jupiter, but not quite as bright as Venus. The above sketch is oriented correctly in relation to the binocular view.

Comet McNaught's pseudo-nucleus appeared to be non-stellar, disk-shaped, and very bright. It and the inner-most region of the tail took on a very slightly yellow-orange color by the time the final sketch was made. Earlier, with the comet higher in the sky, the only color seen was white -- of various intensities.

The faintest, outermost region of tail was 'imagined' to have a slight reddish color. I say 'imagined' because I'm not convinced that I was really seeing any color there.

The Road Home: On the way home I saw flashing red lights in front of me. As I got closer I saw that those lights were on a tow-truck just off the right side of the highway. Parked perpendicular to the highway, beside the tow-truck, was an 18-wheeler. Nearby was an individual holding a "SLOW" sign.

A little further along the road, down a hill, on the left side of the highway I saw several more vehicles with flashing red and blue lights. Another individual was holding up another "SLOW" sign. I spotted several additional tow-trucks off the left shoulder of the road. Then I saw another 18-wheeler. This one was off the left side of the highway, parallel to the highway, lying on its side. It was facing west, the same direction I was driving.

The highway was clear and dry. I found myself wondering if the driver had gotten distracted by the comet. On the other hand, there were quite a few deer in the area . . .

Anyway, I eventually made it home to completely overcast skies. It started snowing within an hour. My 'Comet Expedition' was a success! I'll feel a little better now if I don't get another chance to see this small, but bright comet.