nFA observing report July 10 AM

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notFritzArgelander
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nFA observing report July 10 AM

#1

Post by notFritzArgelander »


This is a predawn binocular session using the Nikon Aculon 10x50 binoculars. The main purpose was to catch Comet C/2020 F3 (Neowise). It’s also a session in which I managed bilocation.

Although seeing is often better in the pre-dawn hours I generally plan my sessions in the evening finishing at midnight or a little later. However it seems that lately I’ve completely lost my circadian rhythms (perhaps a medical / prescription side effect issue that needs sorting). The positive benefit of having lost any sense of rhythm for the day is that one can get up to check out the apparition of Comet Neowise.

Another personal not is that one must give the Cloud Demons their due. Three new eyepieces from the budget priced Starbase Orthoscopic line arrived and the only remark from the Deities is that there were hours of poor seeing. Clear skies and above average transparency prevailed and, in the pre-dawn hours, seeing was average.

Spontaneously awaking at 2:30 AM I fired up the computer and the Cartes du Ciel app I noted that the comet would be rising at about 3:22 AM at about 26 degrees azimuth. I also found that finding the comet would be trivial using  Aurigae (Capella) and  Aurigae to point to where it should be found trivially.

East of my residential location there are hills and low mountains. I waited until 4 AM to go out. The Sun rises at about 6 AM so that gave a window. I found the pointer stars and they indicated that the comet hadn’t peaked up behind those hills yet. So I entertained myself while waiting by taking tours of the sky with the binos.

I looked at the Moon and saw very nice crisp shadows at the terminator. Then I checked out Jupiter. Io was to the east and Ganymede, Europa and Callisto to the west. Ganymede was quite close to Jupiter. I then picked up Saturn as an oval.

I then turned to the summer Milky Way. I turned first towards Scutum where I found M11. I then turned north to Cygnus and Lyra where I viewed the North America nebula and the  Cygni region which is always beautiful. Lyra was lovely and I found M57, naturally unresolved but a nice fuzzy patch.

However, interference from the streetlights was unacceptable. I was observing from the street side of the house not the back yard observing spots. I wanted to be able to appreciate contrast details in the tail of Neowise andthis site wasn’t going to cut it.

So, I got in the car and drove to a park that I frequent on the north edge of town where I often go for walks. There are few streetlights and widely spaced. The park is closer to the hills so there was risk in that. Approaching the site from the west I found a good spot, removed from streetlights, at the NE corner of the park.

On the way I had a brief panic moment when I saw a light in the east that I thought might be a communications tower but was relieved when it turned out to be Venus. Coment Neowise was available to the eye with a nice tail. With the binoculars I appreciated the view. The nucleus presented as star like with a coma and a tail extending in the now lightening sky for 2 degrees plus. The tail widens gently with subtle contrast details. At the faint end it appears to balloon out a bit before becoming indistinguishable from the nackground.

A brief hop to Venus and back to Neowise where the lighter sky now had shortened the apparent tail leng to 2 degrees flat.

Back in the car I drove home arriving about 6 AM.
Scopes: Refs: Orion ST80, SV 80EDA f7, TS 102ED f11 Newts: AWB 130mm, f5, Z12 f5; Cats: VMC110L, Intes MK66,VMC200L f9.75 EPs: KK Fujiyama Orthoscopics, 2x Vixen NPLs (40-6mm) and BCOs, Baader Mark IV zooms, TV Panoptics, Delos, Plossl 32-8mm. Mixed brand Masuyama/Astroplans Binoculars: Nikon Aculon 10x50, Celestron 15x70, Baader Maxbright. Mounts: Star Seeker IV, Vixen Porta II, Celestron CG5
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helicon United States of America
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Re: nFA observing report July 10 AM

#2

Post by helicon »


Nice catch of Neowise notFritz! I got up at 4:30 and it was hidden behind the hill to the East. I waited ten minutes then went back to bed. Maybe tomorrow morning I'll delay a little bit and try 5:00 o'clock. By then the sky will be starting to lighten ever-so-slightly. At the moment I can see fog heading through the golden gate, so this may put the kabosh on things by the morning, but hopefully not. If conditions are good I'll haul out the 6" achro for a view.
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
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Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
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Re: nFA observing report July 10 AM

#3

Post by Makuser »


Hi nFA. A very nice observing report with the binoculars and Comet Neowise. This is a nice catch for you. Also, I looked up the specifications on your new VMC200L telescope that you mentioned in an earlier report. This Vixen instrument is really sweet and the meniscus corrector plate just before the secondary mirror is quite clever. Thanks for your latest report nFA, and keep looking up.
Marshall
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Re: nFA observing report July 10 AM

#4

Post by terrynak »


Thanks for the report nFA and the heads up on the comet! Went online to get more info on it and looks like it will be visible after sunset in the NW horizon after the 11th. Hopefully will see it then.
Scopes: Reflectors, refractors, and 1 catadioptric. Ranging in aperture from 50mm to 150mm.
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Re: nFA observing report July 10 AM

#5

Post by notFritzArgelander »


helicon wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2020 11:08 pm Nice catch of Neowise notFritz! I got up at 4:30 and it was hidden behind the hill to the East. I waited ten minutes then went back to bed. Maybe tomorrow morning I'll delay a little bit and try 5:00 o'clock. By then the sky will be starting to lighten ever-so-slightly. At the moment I can see fog heading through the golden gate, so this may put the kabosh on things by the morning, but hopefully not. If conditions are good I'll haul out the 6" achro for a view.
The comet's path is such that it is heading to the NW and away from the Sun. So later in the month will be better for a view with larger instruments.
Makuser wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2020 11:30 pm Hi nFA. A very nice observing report with the binoculars and Comet Neowise. This is a nice catch for you. Also, I looked up the specifications on your new VMC200L telescope that you mentioned in an earlier report. This Vixen instrument is really sweet and the meniscus corrector plate just before the secondary mirror is quite clever. Thanks for your latest report nFA, and keep looking up.
I'm hoping to get a second light soon. The weather is holding up nicely but I'm the weak point in the chain here.
terrynak wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2020 12:01 am Thanks for the report nFA and the heads up on the comet! Went online to get more info on it and looks like it will be visible after sunset in the NW horizon after the 11th. Hopefully will see it then.
That sounds like a good plan. I wonder how it will be presenting then? With comets, you never know. :lol:
Scopes: Refs: Orion ST80, SV 80EDA f7, TS 102ED f11 Newts: AWB 130mm, f5, Z12 f5; Cats: VMC110L, Intes MK66,VMC200L f9.75 EPs: KK Fujiyama Orthoscopics, 2x Vixen NPLs (40-6mm) and BCOs, Baader Mark IV zooms, TV Panoptics, Delos, Plossl 32-8mm. Mixed brand Masuyama/Astroplans Binoculars: Nikon Aculon 10x50, Celestron 15x70, Baader Maxbright. Mounts: Star Seeker IV, Vixen Porta II, Celestron CG5
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Re: nFA observing report July 10 AM

#6

Post by Thefatkitty »


All things considered, seems everything was on your side! Good for you and nice way to pass the time waiting for the sky to align :D
Mark

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Re: nFA observing report July 10 AM

#7

Post by Greenman »


Glad it worked out for you and nice sighting, I’m concentrating on Jupiter at the moment so late nights and early mornings misalign. You’ve made me think on it, Jupiter will be around for a while the comet...
Cheers,

Tony.

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Re: nFA observing report July 10 AM

#8

Post by terrynak »


notFritzArgelander wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2020 12:09 am
terrynak wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2020 12:01 am Thanks for the report nFA and the heads up on the comet! Went online to get more info on it and looks like it will be visible after sunset in the NW horizon after the 11th. Hopefully will see it then.
That sounds like a good plan. I wonder how it will be presenting then? With comets, you never know. :lol:

It'll be a lot better than PanStarrs - that was such a pain. Had three sessions with two different 6" F/5 Newts (my largest aperture scopes) before I got a glimpse of it - and that was for only about a second with averted vision. Hopefully my mind wasn't playing tricks on me that night.
Scopes: Reflectors, refractors, and 1 catadioptric. Ranging in aperture from 50mm to 150mm.
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Re: nFA observing report July 10 AM

#9

Post by Unitron48 »


As always, great reporting! I caught the comet yesterday morning as well...using my Unitron 10x50 binos. First observed at a little after 4 a.m. Details similar to yours. I also had to change locations to a slight hill away from my neighborhood.

Dave
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Re: nFA observing report July 10 AM

#10

Post by KingNothing13 »


Nice nFA - I suspect I'd be able to see NEOWISE from my backyard - but trees and houses block it until the sun rises. I think I am going to have to wait until it is in the night sky.
-- Brett

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Re: nFA observing report July 10 AM

#11

Post by notFritzArgelander »


Greenman wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2020 8:56 am Glad it worked out for you and nice sighting, I’m concentrating on Jupiter at the moment so late nights and early mornings misalign. You’ve made me think on it, Jupiter will be around for a while the comet...
Don’t miss it! It’s lovely. Soon it’ll be an early evening object too.
Scopes: Refs: Orion ST80, SV 80EDA f7, TS 102ED f11 Newts: AWB 130mm, f5, Z12 f5; Cats: VMC110L, Intes MK66,VMC200L f9.75 EPs: KK Fujiyama Orthoscopics, 2x Vixen NPLs (40-6mm) and BCOs, Baader Mark IV zooms, TV Panoptics, Delos, Plossl 32-8mm. Mixed brand Masuyama/Astroplans Binoculars: Nikon Aculon 10x50, Celestron 15x70, Baader Maxbright. Mounts: Star Seeker IV, Vixen Porta II, Celestron CG5
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Re: nFA observing report July 10 AM

#12

Post by helicon »


I got up today at 4:45 (second attempt at naked eye observation.) I witnessed Venus rising and looked to the left of Venus but couldn't see it. Blocking the view is the crest of Grizzly Peak and a tree that is unfortunately placed. I'll keep trying at Neowise makes its way across the sky. I'm curious to know if it will brighten as it gets toward its closest approach to Earth. But on the other hand it is moving away from the sun so I would bet that it will fade, though I hope I'm wrong.
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
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Re: nFA observing report July 10 AM

#13

Post by notFritzArgelander »


Unitron48 wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2020 10:57 am As always, great reporting! I caught the comet yesterday morning as well...using my Unitron 10x50 binos. First observed at a little after 4 a.m. Details similar to yours. I also had to change locations to a slight hill away from my neighborhood.

Dave
Thanks! Glad you had success!
KingNothing13 wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2020 2:18 pm Nice nFA - I suspect I'd be able to see NEOWISE from my backyard - but trees and houses block it until the sun rises. I think I am going to have to wait until it is in the night sky.
It will be early evening and so kinder to the alarm clock. :)
helicon wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2020 2:45 pm I got up today at 4:45 (second attempt at naked eye observation.) I witnessed Venus rising and looked to the left of Venus but couldn't see it. Blocking the view is the crest of Grizzly Peak and a tree that is unfortunately placed. I'll keep trying at Neowise makes its way across the sky. I'm curious to know if it will brighten as it gets toward its closest approach to Earth. But on the other hand it is moving away from the sun so I would bet that it will fade, though I hope I'm wrong.
Hope for the best. There are two inverse square distances at play: Sun-comet and comet-Earth so it will be interesting to see what wins. Then there is always the chance of the comet becoming active too, which throws a sabot into the machinery of prediction. ;)
Scopes: Refs: Orion ST80, SV 80EDA f7, TS 102ED f11 Newts: AWB 130mm, f5, Z12 f5; Cats: VMC110L, Intes MK66,VMC200L f9.75 EPs: KK Fujiyama Orthoscopics, 2x Vixen NPLs (40-6mm) and BCOs, Baader Mark IV zooms, TV Panoptics, Delos, Plossl 32-8mm. Mixed brand Masuyama/Astroplans Binoculars: Nikon Aculon 10x50, Celestron 15x70, Baader Maxbright. Mounts: Star Seeker IV, Vixen Porta II, Celestron CG5
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Re: nFA observing report July 10 AM

#14

Post by John Baars »


Bino's are ideal to get a nice overall view of a large comet. Superb!
I have seen several bright ones through a telescope as well (a bit shredded, because too large), but the overall view in a pair of binoculars is quite overwhelming!
Thanks for this nice observation!
Refractors in frequency of use : *SW Evostar 120ED F/7.5 (all round ), * Vixen 102ED F/9 (vintage), both on Vixen GPDX.
GrabnGo on Alt/AZ : *SW Startravel 102 F/5 refractor( widefield, Sun, push-to), *OMC140 Maksutov F/14.3 ( planets).
Most used Eyepieces: *Panoptic 24, *Morpheus 14, *Leica ASPH zoom, *Zeiss barlow, *Pentax XO5.
Commonly used bino's : *Jena 10X50 , * Canon 10X30 IS, *Swarovski Habicht 7X42, * Celestron 15X70, *Kasai 2.3X40
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Re: nFA observing report July 10 AM

#15

Post by Bigzmey »


Congrats on catching the comet nFA! As Michael I was not able to catch it so far because of all the mountains we have to the east.

Hoping it will stay bright enough when it shifts to evening.
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
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