From: Collin Smith [mailto:CollinofAlabama@cox.net]
Sent: Monday, December 06, 2004 12:55 AM
SPACsters & friends,
Unless I hear otherwise, the distinction for the first South Plain Astronomy Club member to spot Comet Machholz goes to Don Fritz with his 8" dob out at Emma this past Friday night, December 3rd. We saw a lot of things out in the frost-breath night air -- Messiers 31, 32 & 110, M33, M1, M78, M42, M74, the Double Cluster and split Gamma Andromedae and Castor. We didn't start after NGC 7331 till later at it was already in the western Lubbock light dome. Couldn't find it. Swept the area pretty clean. C'est la vie.
However, without a doubt Saturn was AMAZING. Don cranked it up to 200x and me 150x. The images were spectacular. Banding on the globe, shadowing on the ring, 5 moons, could even see the D ring in Don's scope - groovy baby!
This will be a GOOD planetary winter.
Sky & Tel has a good map of the comet through December and early January here... http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/comets/article_1396_1.asp
I can highly recommend putting on a LOT of clothing and heading out to see all this. There's a lot of stuff in the neighborhood. Take a look around.
Like Pee Wee Herman sang... The stars shine bright, most every night...
CDS