------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2296 2006 Dec 30 14.55UT Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise, Basingstoke, Hants, RG22 4PP,England.Telephone/FAX(01256)471074Int:+441256471074 INTERNET: GUY@TAHQ.DEMON.CO.UK Backup: gmh@wdcc1.bnsc.rl.ac.uk WORLD WIDE WEB http://www.theastronomer.org ------------------------------------------------------------------- COMET C/2006 P1 (MCNAUGHT) Bjorn Granslo, Fjellhamar, Norway, has sent us several messages in recent weeks concerning his attempts to see Comet C/2006 P1 (McNaught). The latest contains a positive observation. On Dec 16.66UT he estimated the comet as fainter than magnitude 5.0 and not seen using a 0.07-m refractor. Another attempt was made on Dec 17.66UT when it was again not seen to a limit of 6.0 using a 0.10-m refractor. However a new observation of Dec 29.28UT gave a positive sighting with m1 = 3.9 (0.10-m refractor)in nautical twilight. The inner coma remained visible until a solar altitude of -6.7 deg (07h15m UT). Although the comet's solar elongation angle will remain very small and considerable care is needed in attempting any observations, the Central Bureau's service has yielded the following daily ephemeris which may allow observers in the UK to see the comet 2007 January 7-11 for which a map has been published in 'Astronomy and Space', 2007 January issue. Date TT R. A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 WARNING! This comet gets close to the sun during the period covered in the ephemeris below. Observers are warned to be wary of observing comets near the sun. NEVER point any kind of optical instrument at the sun--instant blindness will be the probable result. 2006 12 30 18 33.23 -08 05.2 1.397 0.516 15.1 7.9 2006 12 31 18 37.03 -07 56.4 1.363 0.488 15.2 7.6 2007 01 01 18 41.02 -07 48.5 1.329 0.460 15.3 7.2 2007 01 02 18 45.23 -07 41.8 1.293 0.431 15.3 6.9 2007 01 03 18 49.69 -07 37.1 1.256 0.402 15.3 6.5 2007 01 04 18 54.44 -07 35.0 1.218 0.373 15.2 6.1 2007 01 05 18 59.50 -07 36.6 1.179 0.344 15.1 5.7 2007 01 06 19 04.94 -07 43.5 1.138 0.314 14.9 5.3 2007 01 07 19 10.79 -07 58.0 1.096 0.285 14.5 4.7 2007 01 08 19 17.13 -08 23.4 1.053 0.257 14.0 4.2 2007 01 09 19 23.99 -09 04.6 1.008 0.230 13.2 3.6 2007 01 10 19 31.41 -10 08.3 0.963 0.206 12.1 3.1 2007 01 11 19 39.33 -11 42.9 0.920 0.186 10.6 2.5 2007 01 12 19 47.54 -13 56.0 0.881 0.174 8.6 2.1 2007 01 13 19 55.69 -16 49.0 0.849 0.171 6.6 2.0 2007 01 14 20 03.34 -20 11.9 0.828 0.178 5.4 2.1 2007 01 15 20 10.21 -23 46.6 0.818 0.193 6.3 2.4 2007 01 16 20 16.27 -27 16.2 0.818 0.215 8.7 2.9 2007 01 17 20 21.62 -30 30.4 0.826 0.240 11.5 3.4 2007 01 18 20 26.38 -33 25.3 0.839 0.268 14.2 3.9 2007 01 19 20 30.71 -36 00.5 0.856 0.296 16.7 4.4 2007 01 20 20 34.69 -38 17.5 0.875 0.326 19.0 4.8 2007 01 21 20 38.41 -40 18.4 0.896 0.355 21.1 5.3 2007 01 22 20 41.91 -42 05.4 0.917 0.384 23.0 5.7 2007 01 23 20 45.26 -43 40.3 0.940 0.414 24.7 6.0 2007 01 24 20 48.47 -45 04.9 0.962 0.442 26.2 6.4 2007 01 25 20 51.57 -46 20.7 0.985 0.471 27.7 6.7 2007 01 26 20 54.58 -47 29.0 1.008 0.499 29.0 7.0 2007 01 27 20 57.52 -48 30.8 1.030 0.527 30.2 7.3 2007 01 28 21 00.39 -49 26.9 1.052 0.554 31.3 7.5 2007 01 29 21 03.20 -50 18.2 1.074 0.581 32.4 7.8 2007 01 30 21 05.96 -51 05.2 1.096 0.608 33.4 8.0 2007 01 31 21 08.69 -51 48.5 1.117 0.634 34.4 8.3 Guy M Hurst