Comet McNaught

[weeman]

I hear that Comet McNaught will be visible in late June and early July in the northern hemisphere.

I live on the outskirts of Denver, CO. Any idea of how visible it will be at my location?

I'd like to get out my 4.5" Celestron and get some gazing in!

 

[MeteorWayne]

This is one of the best pages I use...the English ain't great , But lists every telescopically visible comet from brightest to faintest, and the info (including mag estimates meaurements) is usually current, within a week or so:

http://www.aerith.net/comet/weekly/current.html

 

[andrew_t1000]

Last time McNaught was visible we got some amazing photographs, in the suburbs!
Now I'm living in the country I cant wait for a decent comet.
If the views I get of the Milky Way and the Megallenic Clouds are anything to go by it'll look pretty good.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Also useful is the Heavens-Above finder charts:

http://heavens-above.com/comet.aspx?cid ... t=0&tz=CET

 

[weeman]

Thanks Wayne!

I'm planning on taking my scope up to Loveland Pass (near Breckenridge, CO) to get some really clear gazing at about 11,500 ft in elevation

 

[wildwell]

Does the road up Mount Evans give you a view to the north-east? Is the city to the east too bright for decent sky watching? I'd consider heading up that way if I was where you are, the road is paved the whole way to the summit and it is probably open by now. Although the summit will give you a low horizon for a full 360 degrees, it's probably going to be too windy to be comfortable; you'd have to look for a good view a little lower on the mountain.
It shouldn't be too cold by now, right?

 

[MeteorWayne]

From spaceweather.com:

http://spaceweather.com/archive.php?vie ... &year=2010

 

[RichardG]

Comet McNaught C/2009 R1

Looks like I will have to stay up really late or get up very early because McNaught is only visible just before morning twilight. Articles say it is visible around 12 AM, but that has to be UT/GMT not local time.

My Starry Night software has several listing for a McNaught 2009,but none are C/2009 R1.
What does the C and the R1 mean?

 

[MeteorWayne]

The best time (compromise between elevation and northern hemisphere dawn) is ~ 3 AM

If the page listed above (the first one: http://www.aerith.net/comet/weekly/current.html ) is correct, it's borderline naked eye visible at that time (Mag +4.7)