The current month prime moonless viewing frame for 9:00pm-10:300pm transit of the comet has begun and will continue through Jan. 13-14. This corresponds with the comet's predicated maximum brightness on Jan. 6 through Jan. 12 and the 1st quarter moon's return on 1/13. The astrophotographic highlight will be on Jan. 8, when Comet Machholz will pass next to the Pleaides. Patrick, although the weather forecast through Jan. 8 is still "mostly cloudy" << http://weather.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/iwszone3 >>, Jan. 8 might provide a NASA ambassador and SLAS club promotional opportunity. (Or whenever the usual January storm pattern clears out.) The following are some mag 10 courtesy finder charts for January 2 through January 22, 2005: All the finder charts: http://members.csolutions.net/fisherka/astronote/finder/ To 1/2/2005 in Tau: http://members.csolutions.net/fisherka/astronote/finder/CometC2004Q2Tau1_2_0... To 1/8/2005 in Tau: http://members.csolutions.net/fisherka/astronote/finder/CometC2004Q2Tau1_8_0... To 1/10/2005 in Tau: http://members.csolutions.net/fisherka/astronote/finder/CometC2004Q2Tau1_10_... To 1/18/2005 in Per: http://members.csolutions.net/fisherka/astronote/finder/CometC2004Q2Per1_18.... To 1/22/2005 in Per: http://members.csolutions.net/fisherka/astronote/finder/CometC2004Q2Per1_22.... To 1/22/2005 - overview 120 deg finder (horizon system at lat 41N) http://members.csolutions.net/fisherka/astronote/finder/CometC2004Q241NOverv... JPL Finder Charts: http://encke.jpl.nasa.gov/charts.html Sky & Telescopes overview chart: http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/comets/article_1396_1.asp Inner solar system orbital diagram at JPL by Gregorio Drayer: http://encke.jpl.nasa.gov/images/04Q2/q2-inner.gif Note the arclike structure seen at high-magnification within the central 3 arcminute core of the comet, per G. Sostero and A. Lepardo: http://encke.jpl.nasa.gov/images/04Q2/04Q2_041128_gs1.jpg from - http://encke.jpl.nasa.gov/ - Kurt __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - now with 250MB free storage. Learn more. http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250