is the mag of lulin a bit exaggerated?

Starforce2 · Post by **Starforce2** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 1:28 am

I've seen 4.8 listed, but even with the moons glare it ought to be obvious in bino's, and I was out at 1a, march 9th (so this morning) and Gemeni (or atleast the 2 starts making it's head) should have been the fairly bright pair I saw making a nearly horizontal line. Given that, sweeping toward the moon, I got nothing. I swept the entire area from the treeline up to the moons hight between the moon and directly west and saw jack schit. What is the actual brightness of this comet right now, anyone know?

Jon Hickman · Post by **Jon Hickman** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 5:56 am

at 1am this morning, I had it listed as mag 7.3

Jon

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 12:29 pm

I have been trying to find it with my 80mm, and so far nothing. I was going to use the computer to do it, but thought I should be able to see it. With the Moon and the light pollution here I might have to use the 10" dob. if it clears up in time.

wkocken · Post by **wkocken** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:58 pm

I saw it on 3/6, near Regulus at the time, when it should have been brighter. It's hard to estimate total magniute for large objects, but I'd say the surface brightness was relatively low. I'd say it was about like looking for a mag 8 or 9 galaxy or cluster. Later in the evening, when it got a little hazy we couldn't find it all, not in an 8"dob or an 11" cat.
Bill