Comet nearing Earth

[Tinaa]

The Comet C/2002 T7 is heading this way. It can be seen near Venus in the west with binoculars. It will get brighter over the next three months. The closest approach is May 19th at only .27 AU. You lucky bunch in the Southern Hemispere will get the best look. If you are up the in Nothern Hemisphere you'd better start looking now.

[Tiny]

I live in Northern hemisphere, i hope I didn't miss it :P

Thanks for the information :lol:

[Dave Mitsky]

C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) is now approaching the upper sixth magnitude range in brightness. I've been following it telescopically for a number of months. A tail has been visible for over a week through the 17" classical Cassegrain at the increasingly light polluted ASH Naylor Observatory.

http://skyandtelescope.com/printable/obser...rticle_1040.asp (http://skyandtelescope.com/printable/observing/objects/comets/article_1040.asp)

http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/Ephemerides...ets/2002T7.html (http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/Ephemerides/Comets/2002T7.html)

Dave Mitsky

[Tinaa]

Dave, will you be photographing these comets? Will Earth enjoy any meteor showers from either comet?

[VanderL]

The image of comet Linear in the first link you gave Dave, is a very strange one. I know comet's tails can show some strange features, but this looks like a double tail: a short one pointing roughly west, and another one that looks like a smokey trail pointing north-west (spiralling?). I never onderstood what makes these tails so variable, but they're sure a nice picture.
Cheers.

[Duane]

Light pollution BAD! :angry: We are starting to have our street lights changed over the the hooded ones that keep the light pointed down. Turns out they aren't that much more expensive then the regular ones.

[Tiny]

Originally posted by Duane@Feb 16 2004, 11:24 PM
Light pollution BAD! :angry: We are starting to have our street lights changed over the the hooded ones that keep the light pointed down. Turns out they aren't that much more expensive then the regular ones.
The old time was great (1500 - 1800), the sky is clear and stars vivble almost everywhere(including comets etc...) no light pollutions ;) ... due to Benjamin franklin, he's the one that invent electricity and Thomas Alva Edison, the one that invent light bulb. now the sky become even worst...

[damienpaul]

Bad Edison and Franklin...:lol:

But one would think that at some time, some sort of shielding from light pollution would be available, either that or you can all join me here in the Outback.

[TheAstronomer]

Mr. Mitsky!

I've been following T7 for a long time as well. Weather conditions here in Ohio have not exactly been superior for observing, but I did notice a few days ago (we had a 6.0 night) that I am now picking up an ion tail. Short and sweet... And always posted in my reports.

I use a variety of scopes and have not had the opportunity to put the 31" on the comet yet, but the tail is noticable in apertures as small as 8". No evidence so far of a duo-tail to the eye, but if it holds true like with Ikeya/Zhang, we should be able to detect it visually as it gets closer to the Sun. It has been a real pleasure to watch as it has spread and developed an elongated coma. I've noticed the nucleus has even brightened to the point where a 4.5 reflector can spot it!

Awesome comet... Glad to hear someone else is watching as well!

Rock on,

~T

[dark_love1895]

[COLOR=yellow] hey ppl!! i am not a pro or anything :unsure: ....but could any of u give me some info on this comet? a website or something? i'd appreciate it! [COLOR=yellow]

[Tinaa]

Look about seven posts up from yours. Dave Mitsky had two links. The first one gives excellent info for a beginner. :)

[TheAstronomer]

Hey. You don't need to be a pro!

Try: Heaven's Above (http://www.heavens-above.com)

For an accurate daily locator chart by entering your area.

Unfortunately, Pegasus is getting mighty low, and if you're not really familiar with the sky, or have a clean western horizon, it might be difficult to make out the "Great Square". (and the moon is not helping things right now either.) How about if I give you a real simple way of finding it?

Go out and face due west as soon as the sky darkens enough to see stars. If you live roughly in the same latitude as me, you will see Venus ahead and just slightly to your left. OK! That's the first marker. Point your finger at Venus and move your left arm slowly down and across to your right... See that bright star near Venus? That's Gamma Peg - and Comet T7 is stil very close to Gamma Peg. Now that you know which star to look at, try using binoculars to scan the area. T7 should show! If you're scopin'? Set the scope on Gamma Peg and begin dropping west... Not too far though! It's still pretty close to your marker star. Thanks to the Moon, LINEAR T7 will appear to most scopes as an elongated fuzzy patch... Sometimes with a bright nucleus. A lot will depend on your sky conditions, so keep on trying! (and remember in the days ahead that it will continue to move west...)

And let us know if you find it! ;)

Rock on,

~T