A bright green comet known as 46P/Wirtanen will be visible from Earth next week

Hmm, only a few days left, and no one's been giving a heads-up on this here...

In the coming couple of weeks, the comet 46P/Wirtanen will be visible in the sky through binoculars, backyard telescopes, and even with the naked eye if you don't have too much light pollution.



www.countryliving.com...

Here's the comet's track across the sky, to help you find it:



The comet will be at its brightest on Dec 15th and 16th (reaching apparent magnitude of +3), also passing close to the Pleiades star cluster, making for a pretty sight and great astrophoto opportunities.

I'll certainly be ready with my binoculars, and hope for cloudless sky!

a reply to: wildespace

Cool!

Don't know if I'll have a chance to photo it, but out here in the country I should be able to see it provided the weather is clear.

I hope someone from ATS gets some great astrophotos of it.

Hell, ill even purchase one!

a reply to: wildespace

Thank you for posting this. I didn't know about the comet. Based on it's projected path, it should be pretty easy to find, and it's green, so a nice Christmas tie-in. Cool.

One amazing image already here: spaceweathergallery.com...

a reply to: wildespace

Thanks for the heads up; I'll have my binoculars ready. That is a great pic, really a nice shade of green with a little blue in there too.

Where I live is difficult to see the stars, as we have too much light pollution, but I will try to take a photo, even if I can't see it.

This definitely seems like about the right time for the Blue Star Kachina, given everything going on the past few days.

originally posted by: ArMaP
Where I live is difficult to see the stars, as we have too much light pollution, but I will try to take a photo, even if I can't see it.

If you have binoculars, those are the best way to see the comet (unless you have a telescope, of course).
When the comet Lovejoy was in the sky a few years ago, I easily spotted it in my binoculars, and even took a few photos from my light-polluted location. The comet was brighter than the Andromeda galaxy.



This comet is gonna be even brighter!

a reply to: wildespace

When comet C/2011 L4 appeared I was able to take a photo without seeing it, just by pointing my camera to the place where it was supposed to be a taking a photo with a longer exposure.

The tiberium is calling!

originally posted by: ArMaP
a reply to: wildespace

When comet C/2011 L4 appeared I was able to take a photo without seeing it, just by pointing my camera to the place where it was supposed to be a taking a photo with a longer exposure.

You have a good chance of achieving the same. Just point the camera at the Pleiades on 15th or 16th December.

a reply to: wildespace

Pretty sure it is what I am seeing in the southeast sky this morning,rather large and a green hue from my binoculars

originally posted by: Oldtimer2
a reply to: wildespace

Pretty sure it is what I am seeing in the southeast sky this morning,rather large and a green hue from my binoculars

Lucky you. Nothing but clouds here in the UK.

a reply to: wildespace

Here too.

a reply to: wildespace

It's next to the Pleiades tonight. Pretty!


spaceweathergallery.com...

Hoping to catch it tonight.

Last night I got a few lucky shots between cloud cover with a 50mm.

Half full moon out, washing out my night sky darkness. Grrrrrr.

Best I could do with 3 frames stacked at 15 seconds each. Sure wished it looked that bright green to the naked eye!



Wish the Moon wasn't out.