Comet Atlas

[TheMotorcycleBoy]

I reckon I saw this bad boy last night. I was down in bed at 9pm and went over to open the West Facing window. Spotted a very bright object about 1/3-1/2 up the sky. Much brighter than Betelgeuse or any other stellar objects. Even very visible with me being quite close to our neighbours burglar frightening security light!

Matt

[kiloran]

I reckon I saw this bad boy last night. I was down in bed at 9pm and went over to open the West Facing window. Spotted a very bright object about 1/3-1/2 up the sky. Much brighter than Betelgeuse or any other stellar objects. Even very visible with me being quite close to our neighbours burglar frightening security light!

Matt

Sure it wasn't Venus? It's pretty much where you describe, and VERY bright

--kiloran

[TheMotorcycleBoy]

Hmm. perhaps you were right.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2019_Y4_(ATLAS)#Location

Apparently it was near Ursa Major (is that the Plough?) a couple weeks back.

[kiloran]

Hmm. perhaps you were right.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2019_Y4_(ATLAS)#Location

Apparently it was near Ursa Major (is that the Plough?) a couple weeks back.

Ursa Major is more ENE, about 45deg up from the horizon.
https://www.heavens-above.com/skychart2 ... t=0&tz=GMT

--kiloran

[dspp]

I think you saw Venus as others have pointed out. I have been sitting outside at 8pm-9pm looking west and she's been very bright.
https://www.heavens-above.com/skychart2 ... t=0&tz=GMT

However I had thought that the bright object to the south was Mars. I think that is comet Atlas now that I check further, as it is in Camelopardalis and Mars is not visible, so thank you for the heads up.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2019_Y4_(ATLAS)

regards, dspp

[TheMotorcycleBoy]

I think you saw Venus as others have pointed out. I have been sitting outside at 8pm-9pm looking west and she's been very bright.
https://www.heavens-above.com/skychart2 ... t=0&tz=GMT

However I had thought that the bright object to the south was Mars. I think that is comet Atlas now that I check further, as it is in Camelopardalis and Mars is not visible, so thank you for the heads up.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2019_Y4_(ATLAS)

regards, dspp

What time was that Dave? 8-9ish again......if it's clear tonight I traipse outside in me boxers.

[mike]

I think you saw Venus as others have pointed out. I have been sitting outside at 8pm-9pm looking west and she's been very bright.
https://www.heavens-above.com/skychart2 ... t=0&tz=GMT

However I had thought that the bright object to the south was Mars. I think that is comet Atlas now that I check further, as it is in Camelopardalis and Mars is not visible, so thank you for the heads up.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2019_Y4_(ATLAS)

regards, dspp

What time was that Dave? 8-9ish again......if it's clear tonight I traipse outside in me boxers.

I think there is confusion here. The comet is still not visible to the naked eye.

From the wiki link

can be found in the constellation of Camelopardalis with binoculars or a telescope. It is expected that the comet will continue to brighten, and it is possible the comet may be visible to the naked eye sometime in April or May 2020.
[...]
Between the beginning of February and near the end of March, Comet Atlas brightened from magnitude 17 to magnitude 8 [...] As a diffuse object, the comet will need to reach an apparent magnitude of around 3–4 to be obvious to the casual observer. As of early April the comet appears to be fading

and from https://www.space.com/bright-comet-atlas-visibility-april-2020.html

As of April 1, a consensus of observations taken the Comet Observations Database showed Comet ATLAS hovering at around magnitude +8.0. That's within range of a small telescope or good binoculars, though many have had difficulty in seeing it because its head, or "coma" is so large — about 10 arc minutes across, or roughly one-third the apparent size of the moon.

Because of this, instead of being concentrated into a tiny dot of light like a star, the comet's brightness is spread out over a large area, giving it a "ghostly" appearance. And unless you have a reasonably dark, non-light polluted night sky, you'll likely have difficulty picking out the comet's pale image against the background of the sky.

In dark skies, the human eye can just distinguish a star of magnitude +6

[dspp]

I think you saw Venus as others have pointed out. I have been sitting outside at 8pm-9pm looking west and she's been very bright.
https://www.heavens-above.com/skychart2 ... t=0&tz=GMT

However I had thought that the bright object to the south was Mars. I think that is comet Atlas now that I check further, as it is in Camelopardalis and Mars is not visible, so thank you for the heads up.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2019_Y4_(ATLAS)

regards, dspp

What time was that Dave? 8-9ish again......if it's clear tonight I traipse outside in me boxers.

I think there is confusion here. The comet is still not visible to the naked eye.

From the wiki link

can be found in the constellation of Camelopardalis with binoculars or a telescope. It is expected that the comet will continue to brighten, and it is possible the comet may be visible to the naked eye sometime in April or May 2020.
[...]
Between the beginning of February and near the end of March, Comet Atlas brightened from magnitude 17 to magnitude 8 [...] As a diffuse object, the comet will need to reach an apparent magnitude of around 3–4 to be obvious to the casual observer. As of early April the comet appears to be fading

and from https://www.space.com/bright-comet-atlas-visibility-april-2020.html

As of April 1, a consensus of observations taken the Comet Observations Database showed Comet ATLAS hovering at around magnitude +8.0. That's within range of a small telescope or good binoculars, though many have had difficulty in seeing it because its head, or "coma" is so large — about 10 arc minutes across, or roughly one-third the apparent size of the moon.

Because of this, instead of being concentrated into a tiny dot of light like a star, the comet's brightness is spread out over a large area, giving it a "ghostly" appearance. And unless you have a reasonably dark, non-light polluted night sky, you'll likely have difficulty picking out the comet's pale image against the background of the sky.

In dark skies, the human eye can just distinguish a star of magnitude +6

Good point. Possibly I am seeing Sirius to the South. Lower in the sky between 8-9pm than Venus to the West. Any other suggestions. We have been very clear here. It has been noticeably clearer without the contrail remnants up there.

Regards, dspp