Sunday, March 4, 2012

No Garradd tonight

The last couple of nights have been pretty good seeing. Last night at our fish fry I was able to treat our friends to the pretty sight of Venus and Jupiter low in the west accompanied by Mercury even lower but shining brightly in the palm trees and Mars rising above the house in the east. It was clear enough that I decided to try for comet Garradd. No such luck last night. Tonight I came better prepared with my chart. I was able to make out the big dipper high in the north and Polaris above my neighbor's house but the neighborhood lights and a half moon made it difficult to see much else. In binoculars I was able to find Kocab (BetUMi) and Gamma UMi with it's dim companion. From there I slid just a bit east to find HR5589 and HR5691 and their dimmer companions which make a distinct trapezoid and point at the position of Garradd but no comet. It's just too bright for my 7x50's to pick out. I thought I was able to occasionally make out a pin point of light where the comet should have been but it was more stellar than a comet should have been. I'll have to try later when the moon is gone and Garradd rises higher toward UMa. I'll also have to try setting my scope up and using that or one at the park.

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