ISON Finder Chart for 0300LMT Oct 18-23

[WCGucfa]

Hi Guys,

Here's a map showing ISON's location on the next few nights, in relation to Mars and
Regulus(that beautiful new "double star" in our morning sky) Date and 0300hrs LMT map time.
Limiting magnitude of stars is about 10.5. Good Luck!
If you want the maps improved in any way, please make a suggestion and I'll see if I can customize.

Bill G.

[NGC7000]

Thank you, Bill. I had no idea where the comet was going to travel, so this is wonderful. Now all I have to do is get out of bed early.

Tom

[Paul D]

If you are planning on visually observing it, FORGET IT!!! If you are planning on imaging it. Well here is what your in for. http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap131017.html ISON is at 12:00 from Mars. Mars is in the center of this image and ISON is at the very top of it.

[NGC7000]

Paul, I have you to thank for not losing any beauty sleep...just yet.

[WCGucfa]

I hope these maps will help as the days go by. I will post others.
Tomorrow morning is most likely our next chance to catch the comet. I don't really
believe it is only 14th mag (what do experts know!). I think it's slightly brighter, looking at recent images.

Even though the nearly Full Moon will be on the exact opposite side of the sky tomorrow
morning, it could be worse. Don't let it stop you.
Visual will be tough, but worth a try. You never know what a comet might do from night to night!
Throwing a few seconds or minutes on ISON with a camera will make things much easier.
Once again, brave hunters, good luck!

Bill G.

[Paul D]

Bill and Bill,

I have lost my sleep for this comet already. Now I will wait till the moon is more favorable. LOL.. I was a die hard last weekend and went out two nights in a row for this thing. Let me tell you that what I am seeing at 4am is a tint of blue sky and not light pollution. My favorite scene from Jaws, "Were gonna need a bigger boat" Well "Were gonna need a bigger scope" Maybe Andy can catch it visually with his 20". I don't think my 16" will pick it up, but I am on vacation Halloween week so I just may have to try. I am a sucker for these dusty snowballs.

[Paul D]

I just saw a column on the Guardian that claimed it was 10th mag "a week ago".

On nightskyinfo.com, they said, on Sep 26th, that it was +11th mag, and "can be spotted with 6-inch telescopes".

I don't know what crack they've been smoking, but this clearly isn't the case. I suspect that they are reading predictions of the brightness from their planetarium programs, and assuming that's what the brightness is.

And I trust the reports from the Minor Planet Center more than some unsourced claim of brightness.

Agreed Bill, just the image on Spaceweather which is the same one I posted from APOD. shows that this is no way a 9 mag comet and I would like to see a 6" find this thing. These people are clearly not going out and looking for this thing with a scope. They are taking predictions and running with those predictions.

[WCGucfa]

Bill and Paul!

You've got me thinking of sleeping in tomorrow morning with all your poo-poo talk!
I'm thinking of taking a nap right now!

Those planetarium programs are GREAT! Mine is saying ISON is 9.5 magnitude at this very moment.
How can you NOT want to go out and scoop the comet right up!
These wrong predictions are what gets a good comet hunter up and at em'!!!

Catch ya on the flip-flop!

Bill G.

[NGC7000]

Give 'em hell, Bill.

[Bruce D]

hmmm sure is a lot of messages about a comet we can't even see