C/2006 P1 Comet McNaught

[AustinBoston]

Have you seen comet McNaught?  It is one of the brightest in decades, and could (but probably won't) be the brightest since Comet West in 1965.

You can see it very low in the east (just south of east) just before sunrise, or very low in the west (just south of west) just after sunset.

Astronomy Picture of the Day image of comet McNaught.

Austin

[tlhdoc]

Yes..

[brainpause]

I'll look for it on the way to work in the morning, if it can still be seen. Awfully rainy and cloudy here, though.

Larry

[AustinBoston]

Unfortunately, I have not seen this comet yet, and it is gone from both sunrise and sunset skies for most of the US.

I have been told that it can be seen in the daytime if you know how and are very careful.

You will need binoculars and a large building.

When the sun is (relatively) high in the sky, stand so that a large building (two-story house or larger) just blocks the sun, and you can see the sky to the east (left) of the sun.  The comet will be just to the east of the sun, visible with binoculars.  If you do this, you must be very careful to keep the sun behind a building...do it sitting down so a weight shift will not bring the sun into view.  Looking at the sun, even accidentally, through binoculars can lead to instant and irreversible blindness.  If there is anything about this you do not understnd, just wait for the next comet.

Austin