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Old 29-April-2004, 11:37 PM
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Default Are there two comets currently visible at sunset in Poland?

This picture is purported elsewhere to be a picture of Comet Bradfield, with the tail, and "another comet", the bright star in the upper-left-hand corner. Could someone who is better at this than I am figure out what star/planet/comet that's supposed to be, and provide a cite for it other than "because I say so"? Apparently the photog took the picture with the camera tilted, or else rense cropped it for some reason, which makes it harder to figure out. I have a crick in my neck from staring at it sideways.

Also, since the picture was taken in Poland, in the Northern Hemisphere, it couldn't be a comet that was currently visible in the Southern Hemisphere, could it? Can you see Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere comets simultaneously? This makes my head hurt, too.

Asking on behalf of someone else.
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Old 29-April-2004, 11:52 PM
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I don't know what that bright 'star' is in the upper left, but it doesn't look like a comet. Not unless it's had its tail chopped off.
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Old 30-April-2004, 12:01 AM
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I think the thing in the upper right hand corner is the Andromeda Galaxy. I'm also thinking the second comet, comet LINEAR, is the fuzzy star towards the middle of the picture (no tail visible) in the bluish-purple bit. I know it's out right now because I saw a starchart with both plotted...
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Old 30-April-2004, 12:25 AM
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Using the credits given on the picture, I found it listed also on the April 28th archive from spaceweather.com, which stated the picture was taken somewhere near Gdansk, Poland. (The image was identical to that posted on Rense's site, btw.)

According to Starry Night, Bradfield is the only comet visible in the sky at that location+time. The perspective in the photograph differs from that given by SN, so it's somewhat hard for me to conclusively identify the other object.
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Old 30-April-2004, 01:42 AM
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After several squinty-eyed minutes with Starry Night, I concur with the theory that the blurry blob toward the upper left is Andromeda (and is probably why the photo is taken at such an odd angle).

Edit: Compare it with this image, which definitely shows Andromeda.
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Old 30-April-2004, 02:55 PM
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Response posted, thanks guys.
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Old 30-April-2004, 04:27 PM
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It wouldn't be surprising for an unexperienced observer to misidentify the Andromeda galaxy (M31) with a comet. Remember that Messier originally compiled his list so that he wouldn't confuse object such as galaxies, nebulae, and globular clusters with new comets.
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Old 30-April-2004, 04:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ToSeek
This image, shows Andromeda.
Great picture! =D> Thanks.

Where and when can we see this comet? I live in Kansas City area and is it visible from there?
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Old 30-April-2004, 05:46 PM
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It could possibly be comet Tabur -- at least that is the approximate position of Tabur relative to Bradfield, except Tabur is less than 12th magnitude, so it couldn't be that bright.

Andromeda is also there, approximately relative to Bradfield.
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Old 30-April-2004, 05:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SiriMurthy
Quote:
Originally Posted by ToSeek
This image, shows Andromeda.
Great picture! =D> Thanks.

Where and when can we see this comet? I live in Kansas City area and is it visible from there?
You can see them approximately 1-2 hours before sunrise in the eastern sky. Linear should be almost due east, while Bradfield will be slightly further north....almost to the north east. Bradfield is a bit higher up, and will rise about an hour sooner than Linear. I have no idea if these are currently visible to the naked eye (Denver has been swamped in clouds for the past couple days) so it couldn't hurt to take a pair of binoculars. Also, the sun will quickly wash out the sky so get out there early.
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Old 30-April-2004, 06:18 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tlbs101
It could possibly be comet Tabur -- at least that is the approximate position of Tabur relative to Bradfield, except Tabur is less than 12th magnitude, so it couldn't be that bright.
My version of SNP showed Tabur below Bradfield at the time the photo was supposed to have been taken.
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Old 30-April-2004, 06:35 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zac
You can see them approximately 1-2 hours before sunrise in the eastern sky. Linear should be almost due east, while Bradfield will be slightly further north....almost to the north east. Bradfield is a bit higher up, and will rise about an hour sooner than Linear. I have no idea if these are currently visible to the naked eye (Denver has been swamped in clouds for the past couple days) so it couldn't hurt to take a pair of binoculars. Also, the sun will quickly wash out the sky so get out there early.
Zac, thanks for the info. Forecast for this weekend is pretty bad for Kansas City area. Plenty of clouds for the next few days.
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Old 30-April-2004, 07:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SiriMurthy
Zac, thanks for the info. Forecast for this weekend is pretty bad for Kansas City area. Plenty of clouds for the next few days.
Oh, and starting next week NEAT will rising out of the SW sky at sundown gradually getting higher and brighter as the days progress. Should be a better show than LINEAR
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Old 30-April-2004, 07:13 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ToSeek
Quote:
Originally Posted by tlbs101
It could possibly be comet Tabur -- at least that is the approximate position of Tabur relative to Bradfield, except Tabur is less than 12th magnitude, so it couldn't be that bright.
My version of SNP showed Tabur below Bradfield at the time the photo was supposed to have been taken.
Ditto for XEphem. Actually below, and a little bit to the right. I think we can rule out Tabur there. I was thinking M31 right away myself.
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