Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS

[RamjetFDO 10575]

This one may actually live up to its billing!

Over the next couple of weeks, look to the west about 45 minutes after sunset.  For these next few evenings, you'll need binoculars or (as below) a long-duration camera exposure, but *EVENTUALLY*, it's supposed to be visible with the naked eye!

Here's where to look:

Here's my first attempt (tonight, 12 October):

[InkaUtexas 25857]

Of course it will be cloudy and not rain in Austin that week.

[DoobieWah 1435]

Great pic. Very cool. 

[DoobieWah 1435]

More info.

 

Won't be back for 80,000 years. (And that's a long time to you and me.)

[Paper_jam 831]

Going to try and catch it tomorrow night. Everything I read suggests that it will be dimming steadily as it moves higher in the sky, so I'm not sure if viewing is going to get any better than it is now.

 

[Captain Ron 12864]

I'm at my place in Vermont, if not for the game going on today - I would have gone out tonight to check it out. Hope it stays clear tomorrow.

[Upgrayedd 5810]

Where’s the spaceship?  Got my Nikes.

[RamjetFDO 10575]

9 hours ago, Paper_jam said:

Going to try and catch it tomorrow night. Everything I read suggests that it will be dimming steadily as it moves higher in the sky, so I'm not sure if viewing is going to get any better than it is now.

 

 

That is correct ... "best viewing" will be sooner-rather-than-later, so don't wait too long!

 

[jimmyjazz 45880]

Don't tell @Pimphand.

[Prepuce of Doom 21052]

Either too low and blocked by houses, or too much light pollution in suburban Chicago. I suspect the former, as Venus was readily visible.

Will try again. 

[Captain Ron 12864]

Clouds and rain today. Going to need to see what Boston can show me. 

[PTINS 3459]

There is a single planetary light in the sky right now (not the moon).

I know your supposed to need a telescope, but go look now, 7:33 Austin time.

[gofuckyourself 8200]

Hey that's cool.

Faintly visible to the naked eye for me right around 7:45 tonight. Probably would have been brighter but we have parking lot lights behind us.

Terrible cell phone photo kind of picked it up, bottom of first pic and then cropped.

[miguelito 11253]

I seen it, and I have blurry pics to prove it. 

Pretty cool to see. Space is awesome.

[1978horn 892]

Both photos from iPhone

[BrickHorn 18216]

 

Looks like a smudge to the naked eye. The nucleus / coma was visible with decent binoculars. Pretty cool. 

[RamjetFDO 10575]

Better tonight - looking forward to even better over the next few.

 

 

[Wiler77 1566]

I found it easily with binoculars. Was pretty cool. But most importantly I wanted my kids to see it so I figured out the best landmarks on the ground to have them use as a reference position. 

My kids walked outside and I was prepared to walk them through exactly how to find it. "Oh yeah, there it is! That's cool".

Young eyes I guess.

[Paper_jam 831]

It's incredible what phone cameras can image now. With the naked eye I could barely see a smudge, and that only with slightly averted vision. Looked decent in binocs though.

I wish the Austin metro area and surrounding suburbs had some rigorous light pollution restrictions but people would never go for that. But not every gas station, car dealership, and store parking lot needs to be lit up like it's high noon on Mercury.

 

 

[Your Mom 4805]

I took this from about 15,000 feet over Kansas City.  Sunday, a little after sunset  

[hornbri 1394]

Super easy to see right now if you have a west view, pretty cool. 

[Nightfly 61]

Very cool. 

[Updawg 2266]

Was good tonight. Glad we caught it in my hood

[Francisco 2.0 32386]

Around 7:45 this evening.  iPhone 15 Pro, 3 second shutter, no cropping:

 

[RamjetFDO 10575]

Getting better each night!

 

 

 

[Deej 76752]

On 10/12/2024 at 9:31 PM, DoobieWah said:

More info.

 

Won't be back for 80,000 years. (And that's a long time to you and me.)

aggy still won't have won a title.

[Updawg 2266]

aggy still won't have won a title.

Sleeping comet

[Francisco 2.0 32386]

Tuesday evening's offering.  I really couldn't get a great shot with the DSLR, but an effort was made.  I'll try again tomorrow evening.

 

 

And for good measure, here's the Moon

 

[RamjetFDO 10575]

Definitely a tail-hunting night (heh).

[jimmyjazz 45880]

On 10/14/2024 at 10:41 PM, Deej said:

aggy still won't have won a title.

Nor will they have played Georgia.

[Guadaloopy 10957]

[RamjetFDO 10575]

Fully overcast tonight for me...

[RamjetFDO 10575]

[Guadaloopy 10957]

1 hour ago, RamjetFDO said:

"Not this shit again!"

[Hate 20106]

I’m in New Orleans and was unable to see the comet last night. I talked to my son back in Houston and he was able to see it. 
 

 

[Homesickhorn 2202]

All I’ve got. I pulled over on my way from my sister’s horse barn in Comfort and got lucky.