Post by Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe on Mar 7, 2006 9:02:44 GMT -6
Comet C/2006 A1 Pojmanski Observed from Under the Bright Lights of Chicago
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I have been anxious for a comet hunting session for some time now with the news of Pojmanski entering our northern skies, but the weather has been anti-astronomy in the early mornings.
At about 3:45 am, Chicago Astronomer Bill called up and invited me to join him in a Pojmanski search off Chicago shores. I had planned this morning to see if I could spot it solo from my backyard in the Heart of Chicago anyway as the clear sky clock showed promise, but a lakeside eastern vantage point over the lake is always better and I jumped at the opportunity.
Got my equipment ready, donned on warm apparel and off we went. We arrived at a good "dark -
" location around 4:45am off of Lake Shore Dr. and set up our equipment. The skies were clear, stars were out and we tried to see the comet with our naked eyes, but to no avail... 
We used our binoculars to target it, and damn it...it always seems like Bill spots the objects first. He got it in his binoculars and with guidance, I soon followed with my own 10X50's. It was about 20 degrees (?) in elevation and below of Altair. (It's nice to see the summer constellations again!) I passed over it a number of times, but with concentrated observation it just popped out into view. The coma was plainly visible as a faint glowing smudge, but no tail was discernible. I then guided my 4.5" reflector on it using my trusty Rigel star finder and there it was in my 60mm finder...and it was quite apparent that what I was observing was indeed a comet... ;D
Using the main OTA I tried to kick up the magnification, but it was best seen in lower mags using a 25mm wide field eyepiece. Shading my eyes from the street lamps and using averted vision, I could swear I could see just the slightest hint of a pale greenish hue, but that could be just the excitement of the sighting. Bill decided on taking 35mm film exposures of the comet sans telescope and I anticipate his photographic results soon, and will post them here on the Chicago Astronomer.
When we arrived the weather was cold, but fine for observing. But as dawn approached, it got colder and the dew on the instruments turned to frost. First time I ever had frost on my telescope! The comet was still visible optically as the horizon glowed from the approaching sunrise - with just a hint in binoculars. As the sun rose higher, the clouds started to roll in and became quite overcast and foggy.
We congratulated each other and I was quite surprised that Comet Pojmanski was plainly visible from under the bright lights of Chicago, but indeed it was. After a joint breakfast we went home for some well deserved sleep.
It's amazing what still can be seen seen from light polluted urban skies...
and the Chevelle is the perfect way to see the stars . ahhhhh %20:-[
It's so surreal and not what I expected to come out. I think it's magazine caliber and I highly recommend a submission to them, and Spaceweather.com. You can even catch some Venus shine on the surface of the lake.