Check out Comet Swan over the next several nights

[Spacehead]

Comet Swan brightened to magnitude +4.5, that's naked eye visability in dark areas

If you're out trick-or-treating tonight, or whenever it is in your area, take along a pair of binoculars.

Quick locator map for tonight


Info from SpaceWeather

COMET OUTBURST: Astronomers report that Comet Swan has suddenly increased in brightness 4-fold, from magnitude +6 to +4.5. This makes it a naked-eye object in dark skies and a lovely sight through backyard telescopes. The cause of the outburst: A new vein of volatile ice may have opened up in the comet's nucleus. Solar heating transforms this freshly-exposed material into streams of bright, reflective gas and dust. Indeed, backyard telescopes seem to show new tendrils of gaseous material in the comet's long tail.

If you want to see where the comet will be over the next seveal weeks, check out this online planitarium.
Your Sky
Fill in your location or nearest city, time & view, & cut/paste the following Orbital Elements for Comet Swan.

C/2006 M4 (SWAN)
Epoch 2006 Sept. 22.0 TT = JDT 2454000.5
T 2006 Sept. 28.7283 TT MPC
q 0.783022 (2000.0) P Q
z -0.000302 Peri. 62.5930 -0.2221106 +0.8475967
+/-0.000032 Node 148.7267 +0.1501991 -0.4586221
e 1.000236 Incl. 111.8227 +0.9633832 +0.2669185

 

[Assimilator1]

Thanks SH ,would be nice to see that

Though I reckon in heavily light-polluted SE England that I've got a fat chance of seeing that

Would help if I knew the star consellations too (re 1st link)

 

[Spacehead]

Assim, do you know the "Big Dipper"?
The "handle" of the dipper points to the bright star Arcturus in my first link. You should be able to figure things from there, depending on your skies.

Remember, the comet is moving compared to the background stars, so its position will change over time. That's why the Your Sky link will come in handy.

 

[Assimilator1]

Big dipper? I think that's known here as 'The plough' (as in old fashion horse drawn plough) ,yes that is the only one I know

What's a dipper anyway? lol

 

[Spacehead]

Yep, plough, big dipper, same thing. Dipper, as in a ladle.