the Christmas Star is back

the Christmas star is alive and well and visable until the first week of January. kewl or what?

Much like the enigmatic 'Christmas Star' is said to have appeared in the sky 2000 years ago, a new comet has appeared in the sky this week.

The new comet was discovered last Saturday (Dec 14th) by a Japanese amateur astronomer who was scanning the skies with his binoculars in the early hours of the morning. Comet Kudo-Fujikawa is presently very faint, but is expected to brighten (and even develop a tail) as it nears the Sun over the next few weeks.

Find out more about comet Kudo-Fujikawa on the Sky & Telescope website here: http://skyandtelescope.com/news/current/article_816_1.asp

Remember, if you manage to see comet Kudo-Fujikawa for yourself over the next few mornings you will be one of the first human beings ever to see this visitor from deep outer Space!

below is the comets path until the first week of January

wouldn't you know that east is the one direction I can't see anything for the trees!

I hope it doesn't crash into that bridge ;-)

Wintermoor

I would have hoped there was more interest in this :-(

Can't see anything for cloud, fog and rain Mark.
I shall be watching out - just hadn't responded on the thread. So thanks for posting and I'll bet there are others out there who'll be watching out for it now too

Brilliant link - apart from the details of this there's so much there

Best of all for me is the almanac showing sunrise/set etc
I'd been looking for this for survey work - should have known to ask you LOL

must confess I havent looked the link. The sunset info will help with doing bat related things

ROFLOL - you're expecting people to show interest and you haven't even looked at the link yourself!!!! :O

Seriously - I've been looking for a sunset site before and couldn't even google one up that was easy

LOL at you both....... we are forecasted for clouds (non-stop) throughout the Christmas period and after, so whether I'm out looking, or a sack of rice falls over in Shanghai, it won't make any difference.

* Patrick (Winter)Moore

Wintermoor

very good Patrick.

Seconded

you should be on TV to replace some of the that we have on now

I went out this morning, nothing but clouds

Too cloudy to see anything this morning, but I will keep this in mind and try to see it. Thanks for letting us know.

Yes, Barry would make a refreshing change from all those repeats (as long as he hadn't had too much turkey LOL - then we might get his repeats as well)

Just filling in time here hoping the clouds will go away ;)

I haven't been up early enough yet..guess I'll have to set the alarm.

I usually try to get to see most celestial events and have even photographed the Hale-Bopp comet with my camera and a 70-210 zoom.

I'm one of those that if they were offering trips in space...I'd sign up today! I'm facinated with the 'out there'

Comes from devouring tons of sf as a kid.I read all the great ones.Isaac Asimov,Ray Bradbury,Robert A Heinlien,Arthur C.Clarke,Frank Herbert and many many more.

those times are British times so remember to adjust for the US time zones

Those are British times??? But what rises at daybreak for you will also rise at daybreak for me too.Those are summertime constellations.The best way would be to find the correct stars and locate it from there.Am I right?

Mark, I had reads this earlier, and I am fascinated. Just hadn't posted any comments!

However, with all the cloud cover we have now (and forecast) I doubt I could see it. Poohey.

Yes Melody, that's right.


Wintermoor