[AZ-Observing] Comets on Tues. morning

Hello all;
Matt Luttennin and I took a drive up to Cherry Road, north of Phoenix, Arizona, 
 for a look at the comets in t he morning sky this morning.  I also wanted to 
try out my new big binoculars, Celestron 25X100's, acquired from the Guild 
Camera going out of business sale.

First, the Comet Bradfield.  It is a very nice, but not bright, comet.  I would 
estimate its brightness at 4th magnitude, but it is up in the growing early 
morning twilight, so there is little contrast between the comet and the 
background sky.  I could just barely see it naked eye.  In the small 
binoculars, 8X42's, it was a classic comet.  Bradfield has a bright nucleus and 
coma with a 10 degree long, straight tail.  Averted vision would extend the 
tail longer.

Going to the 25X100 binoculars makes all the difference.  Now about one fourth 
of the comet fits into the field of view at a time.  The head of the comet is a 
lovely, blue-green color and the tail sweeps back from there at least 10 
degrees.  Only the 2 degrees of this comet that is nearest the head has a high 
surface brightness, the rest of the comet is a low contrast glow that trails 
behind the comet, away from the Sunrise.

All in all, Comet Bradfield is a very nice comet that looks like a comet.  The 
problem is that it is so near the Sun that you only get that 20 minute window 
to observe before the twilight brightens up and the comet is swallows by 
daylight.

Comet LINEAR can be seen with the 8X42 binoculars as a somewhat extended glow 
with a brighter core.  It is a small, little elongated spot of light to about 
20 degrees to the south of Comet Bradfield.  It is quite disappointing after 
seeing Bradfield.

Before the comets came up and distracted us, we had a lot of fun looking at 
Messier objects with the Binoculars.  Old favorites like the Lagoon, Trifid, 
Sagittarius star cloud, M 11 and others look great in them.  I am very pleased. 
 I do need to make a better mount, the old photo tripod does not cut it with 
this large and heavy pair of binoculars.

A fun evening, but I need some sleep so I can work to pay for the gas;
Steve Coe  

Author "Deep Sky Observing--The Astronomical Tourist"
Saguaro Astronomy Club website
www.saguaroastro.org
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