View Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas today

[David777]

This week is an opportunity for SF members to see a rare comet. Those in our Northern hemisphere might follow my own plan to understand where and when they might see the comet also by using their location instead.

Current Local Time in San Jose, California, USA

Here in San Jose, CA sunset is at 6:29pm PDT (5:29pm PST). Brighter Venus will also be up in that area and set at 8:04pm at 244 degrees or 270-244= 26 degrees south of due west.

This is a webpage with a diagram showing the comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas will set at 8:54pm PDT and now at 4:40pm PDT is at an altitude of 45.0 degrees at 225 degrees azimuth currently blinded by the still visible sun. Use the mouse selection fields on the left side of the diagram to select between the 2 comments and planets. One can move the blue dot on the time line to understand where the sun, the comet, and Venus will be at different times. Given twilight it shows the comet won't actually be visible until 8:00pm and be at peak brightness within an hour. Note, one can also use the same chart to see where other planets and star constellations are at any time of night.

Which Planets Can You See Tonight?

Today has been sunny with clear skies so late this afternoon at about 7:30pm will walk a few blocks to a nearby school athletic field where away from street lights, I ought have an unblocked view westward at 253 degrees. Will bring along some binoculars and a Canon ELPH190 digital compact camera and try to capture a crude modest image.

 

[Grampa Don]

Good luck. Here in Orange County the light pollution wipes it out. And, the full moon doesn't help.

 

[David777]

Well went out per above with my Canon but could not see anything with my naked eye. Also forgot to grab my modest binoculars. But then noticed someone else out there in the shadows of that athletic field. He had one of those impressive $500 Seestar S50 smart telescopes with the transmission set up to transmit into his Apple Iphone. A toy anyone living in rural areas might make lots of use with. Software allows tracking any objects by mere selection.

Given the near full moon and urban light pollution, with his binoculars, I still could not see the comet though he could but that could have been due to lack of my being able to focus in the dark. His Seestar captured a perfect image with a 30 second tracking exposure covering about 70% of his image frame with a long very prominent tail. Even his Iphone with boosted night sensitivity was able to capture the comet with a bit of tail.

In a few days the moon will be far enough further into the western sky that it will set before the comet is visible so will be more visible. I just might drive up west about 20 miles to the top of our Santa Cruz Mountains about Skyline Blvd where one has full views without any light pollution westward to the Pacific Ocean about 10 miles further west.