Thank you for the compliment on my observation of Comet Machholz. I have observed the pencil-thin tail only once in my light polluted skies. I am estimating the magnitude of the comet based upon it's core (nucleus and inner coma). This is not perfect but gives an approximate magnitude.
Carol,
Thank you for the compliment on my observation of Comet Machholz. I have visited your web site and found it to very informative and full of outstanding images. I am also starting to observe the Moon after a long hiatus. I will post my observations in the Lunar Observing forum soon.