New comet

[Carole]

This will be approaching Earth for one of the closest comet flybys of the Space Age. On the nights around Feb. 11th, Comet 45P will be an easy target for binoculars and small telescopes.

I think every-one will be calling this 45P rather than Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova" (get your tongue around that!!)

https://mail.google.com/mail/ca/u/0/#inbox/15a147e8fd1e55fc

Carole

[JohnP]

Carole - don't think that's the right link if I click on it it loads my gmail inbox?

[Rick]

Maybe something like https://theskylive.com/45p-info ?

Or http://www.universetoday.com/131745/preview-comet-45phonda-mrkos-pajdusakova-brightens-december/ ?

Or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/45P/Honda%E2%80%93Mrkos%E2%80%93Pajdu%C5%A1%C3%A1kov%C3%A1 ?

[Carole]

Whoops sorry.

Should be:
http://spaceweather.com/

[Rick]

Incidentally, Doug included a chart for it in his presentation (on the main website at present) at the last meeting.

[doug]

     Northern observers may get a chance at the end of 2016 as perihelion approaches before it re-emerges in the Northern hemisphere in February. The comet will then become a morning object all the time progressively increasing in altitude. On 11th February 2017, the comet will reach closest approach to Earth and is expected to reach magnitude 6.5 by which time will be visible from midnight onwards in the constellation of Hercules. 45P then continues it's rapid movement, (visible for most of the night), in to Bootes, Coma Berenices and on in to Leo in March by which time the comet will have faded to approximately magnitude 12. [Text from Comet Watch]

     This is just a reminder. I hope that one of our imagers may be able to get a shot at it... providing the clouds, rain and snow stay away....

     Doug.