23 replies to this topic

[Sebastian_Sajaroff]

There was a lot of discussion about observing the comet on binoculars close to Jupiter during totality.
I had 50" of totality, so I preferred to focus on observing the Sun and landscape naked eye, didn’t even try to look for the comet.
My sky was pretty bright during totality, I guess the reason was being just 3 miles from totality "border".
Anyone did ?

[jerobe]

I have the same question but I haven't seen any reports of a sighting yet.

[mogur]

It seemed to never get dark enough to see it where I was. Did see Jupiter and Venus.

[kfiscus]

I had hoped to spot it.  I'm glad we had high, thin clouds that made me give up on the idea and enjoy totality itself.  I've not seen anyone mention success @ this.

[TrailExplorer]

I photographed Comet Pons-Brooks on the evening of the 6th, and I would say it would be generous to call it a naked eye object. I couldn't see it in my camera until about an hour after sunset, somewhat darker than it got during totality. But I was a little too caught up in the moment to even consider looking for it during the eclipse.

Edited by TrailExplorer, 11 April 2024 - 07:08 PM.

[Anhydrite]

I'm going to say nobody saw it.  or very very very few did.

 

It was too dim to be naked eye visible to start with.

 

It was possible with binoculars, but I think it was too bright and it would have taken too long to find.

 

The only reliable way would have been to have an aligned scope GoTo that spot.

[DrkNite]

Did not see it, as there were significant high, thin clouds, so it would have been washed out.  Interestingly, however, I did manage to catch a few stars near the Sun on some of the longer-exposure shots of the corona.  So far, I've identified Zeta Piscium B and A at mags. 6.4 and 5.8, Epsilon Piscium at 4.4 and 88 Piscium at 6.2.

[Anhydrite]

Did not see it, as there were significant high, thin clouds, so it would have been washed out.  Interestingly, however, I did manage to catch a few stars near the Sun on some of the longer-exposure shots of the corona.  So far, I've identified Zeta Piscium B and A at mags. 6.4 and 5.8, Epsilon Piscium at 4.4 and 88 Piscium at 6.2.

I haven't yet processed my longer exposures for stars, but I did see 2 really close stars left of the sun.  Thought I may have had camera shake or reflections in my optics/flattner.

 

Checked stelarium and it was indeed 2 stars.

[Rigel7]

I observed it two days later in the evening twilight, using my 8" Dob. Didn't see much beside the core.

There is no way someone could've seen this during the eclipse.

[foxwoodastronomy]

I tried to find it with binoculars during the eclipse, but I could not.  I did not waste much time on it.

[Starry_Spruce]

In my 20mm wide angle shot, I captured Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn. I couldn't detect even a whisp of the comet, even after trying to digitally bring out all available contrast. And I was in Maine with clear clear skies.

I suspect the only way it would have been captured is with a longer focal length set-up targeted specifically at that location.

[Darren Drake]

I tried with night vision but the sky was way to bright..

[Exeligmos]

4 minutes of totality is too precious, and the comet was too 'available' for evening sky viewing, so I never thought to make any attempt.

 

A brilliant sungrazing comet near the eclipse would have been thrilling beyond imagination, though!

[shakafell]

https://www.space.co...ooks-march-2024

 

This article predicted there would be zero chance of seeing it during the eclipse and I have to agree.

 

I tried to see it last night with a telescope and saw nothing. Its too close to the sun now.

[SoftwareDeveloper]

I looked for it specifically naked eye, sky was too bright. So I expect that experience was shared by most folks. The optics were pointed at "the big event".

 

[radiofm74]

https://www.space.co...ooks-march-2024

 

This article predicted there would be zero chance of seeing it during the eclipse and I have to agree.

 

I tried to see it last night with a telescope and saw nothing. Its too close to the sun now.

Yesterday night I managed it. Barely. It was very low, there were clouds hugging the horizon and I got lucky that when Jupiter peeped through those clouds, the comet was available for view as well. As a telescopic object, it was very nice … for a very, very brief viewing time!

Edited by radiofm74, 12 April 2024 - 04:47 PM.

[DrkNite]

A brilliant sungrazing comet near the eclipse would have been thrilling beyond imagination, though!

While it wasn't brilliant, there was a sungrazer caught in some photos. Spaceweather site has an HDR image with it on their page for 4/12.

Edited by DrkNite, 13 April 2024 - 01:00 AM.

[thegiff]

I looked with binoculars for about 20 or 30 seconds, sky was too bright .

[Special Ed]

I saw 12P during totality with my Canon 12x36 image stabilized binoculars.  It wasn't easy, but I am an experienced comet observer and that helped.  I knew that the comet was about 6 degrees west of Jupiter, so I put Jupiter on the east edge of the 5* fov of my binoculars and just panned over a couple of degrees until I swept it up.

 

It was small and dim and appeared as a fuzzy star with a brighter core.  I couldn't see any tail.

 

I didn't spend much time on it--just found and confirmed--and then swung the 12x36's back over to the Sun.  I was in Bloomington, IN (about 7 miles from the centerline) and conditions were very good.

[kfiscus]

I saw 12P during totality with my Canon 12x36 image stabilized binoculars.  It wasn't easy, but I am an experienced comet observer and that helped.  I knew that the comet was about 6 degrees west of Jupiter, so I put Jupiter on the east edge of the 5* fov of my binoculars and just panned over a couple of degrees until I swept it up.

 

It was small and dim and appeared as a fuzzy star with a brighter core.  I couldn't see any tail.

 

I didn't spend much time on it--just found and confirmed--and then swung the 12x36's back over to the Sun.  I was in Bloomington, IN (about 7 miles from the centerline) and conditions were very good.

Good on you.  At least somebody got it.  Thank you for sharing.

[Special Ed]

Thanks, Ken!

[jerobe]

Today's Astronomy Pictire of the Day (APOD) is of the eclipse, at totality, with the Pons Brooks comet AND the SOHO-5008 comet.

 

https://apod.nasa.go...d/ap240417.html

[SM881]

Didn't get 12P on the second camera I had pointed near Jupiter but got another comet near the sun - SOHO-5008

[SM881]

Didn't get 12P on the second camera I had pointed near Jupiter but got another comet near the sun - SOHO-5008

Correction to my previous post. I did get 12P and Jupiter(easy) and Uranus on my second camera. Got SOHO-5008 in my main wide field camera pointed at the eclipse. I got more objects in those 2 minutes and some than during the last 6 cloudy months lol