Comet Machholz

[Dave Mitsky]

Veteran comet hunter Don Machholz has discovered his tenth comet, C/2004 Q2 (Machholz). See http://skyandtelescope.com/printable/news/...rticle_1336.asp (http://skyandtelescope.com/printable/news/article_1336.asp) for the story. An ephemeris is available at http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/Ephemerides...ets/2004Q2.html (http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/Ephemerides/Comets/2004Q2.html)

Dave Mitsky

[Richard0802]

Here is a finder chart for 2005 for you. :D

PLEASE VISIT THE TOPIC "NEW COMET DISCOVERIES SEPT 2004".

January 8 Magnitude 4.1 Machholz Little north of Pleiades.
January 28 Magnitude 4.7 comet Machholz next to double cluster in Perseus.
March 9 Magnitude 6.6 Machholz moves past the pole star.
May 8 Magnitude 9.4 comet moves into the plough left of the star Megrez.

http://uk.geocities.com/patrickfleckney/comet.jpg

[DippyHippy]

Does it have the potential of becoming visible to the unaided eye?

[Dave Mitsky]

Comet Machholz Q2 is predicted to reach fourth magnitude or brighter. If that, in fact, comes to pass the comet should be visible to the naked-eye from a dark site. It goes without saying that one should always take cometary magnitude predictions with a grain of salt.

Here's another finder chart that's good for September:

http://www.skyhound.com/sh/2004_Q2.gif

I used this chart to observe the comet through a highly modified 10" f/4.5 Meade Dobsonian this morning. Prior to that I saw it during the Black Forest Star Party through my friend's 14.5" Starmaster. C/2004 Q2 (Machholz) is currently heading eastward through Eridanus towards Lepus.

Dave Mitsky

[Dave Mitsky]

I observed Comet Machholz Q2 again on Thursday morning as it neared the Lepus-Eridanus border using the 17" classical Cassegrain at the Naylor Observatory.

Dave Mitsky

[damienpaul]

were you able to get some pics Dave?