Apparently the weather is better in Flagstaff. I just received this on the Minor Planet Mailing List: ++++++++++ Just happened to have another look at it still during twilight here from Mars Hill. Spotted naked-eye as being a few tenths brighter than nearby tau CrB, so still around mag 4.5. Nice strongly condensed coma. Dave Schleicher is just starting tonight with photometry using narrow-band comet filters, so some gas/dust ratio and production rates should be forthcoming in a day or two. ++++++++++ Chuck Hards wrote:
Great report, Wayne, thanks. (I assume you mean comet Swan?) I was planning on taking a peek after Kurt's posting as well, until my mom called with a deceased water heater. I spent the evening shopping for, and installing her new one. Finished at 10:30 and after my 3 mile run and a cold supper, showered and collapsed into bed for 4 hours of sleep. Of course tonight the weather isn't cooperating. :o(
Did you do any brightness estimates by comparing it with stars of known magnitude? The trick is to rack the star out-of-focus until it subtends about the same diameter in the eyepiece(s) as the comet. Makes brightness comparisons a lot easier.