I have been looking at Comet 2023 Atlas in the evening sky here in the U.S.A.

It looks like a tiny bright star just after sunset.
About 2mm in size.

While in Elementary School I was told about Halley's Comet, and how Everyone was fascinated about its appearance.
I always imagined that it was very large in size.

The last time Halley's came back towards Earth I went to Mobile Alabama wanting to see it even though I knew it appeared in the Southern Sky.
Parked the car on the beach at night hoping to get a look at it before Sunrise. Morning clouds covered the Southern Skies so I made the trip for nothing.

I would like to know how folks in the Australia, New Zealand who saw Halley's Comet the last time it appeared thought the size looked like.

I am thinking Comet Atlas showed up in the Southern Skies when it first came in view.
How large was it down there?

Also anyone who saw both the Halley and Atlas Comets could tell me how they compare in size?
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Hello Ed!

31 Oct 24 11:47, you wrote to all:

I would like to know how folks in the Australia, New Zealand who saw Halley's Comet the last time it appeared thought the size looked like.

This top photo on wikiwpedia is what it actually looked like here in Australia in 1986.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halley%27s_Comet



Vorlon


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I have been looking at Comet 2023 Atlas in the evening sky here in the U.S.A.

I haven't been lucky enough to see it, though I think it's been more about my location, how cloudy it has been, and when I've remembered to go looking. I'm sad about it, as a naked-eye comet is not common.

While in Elementary School I was told about Halley's Comet, and how Everyone was fascinated about its appearance.
I always imagined that it was very large in size.

I had thought the general response was that it didn't pass particularly close, so was underwhelming as an event.

But perhaps it was more visible in the Southern Hemisphere.

That said, it's doubtlessly the most famous comet, and the only one I'm aware of where there are a lot of historical sightings of it -- though I guess Halley was the one to connect the dots in 1705.

It's also interesting that we're now closer to the next visit than we are to the last, as Halley's Comet started getting closer to the sun as of December of last year.

Also anyone who saw both the Halley and Atlas Comets could tell me how they compare in size?

Thinking of other comets, were you aware of Hyakutake or Hale-Bopp? They came in 1996 and 1997, and were _obvious_, as they peaked at 0 and -1 in the brightness scale, so were about as bright as the brightest (non-planet) star in the night sky, and took up a much larger portion of the sky, as they were fuzzy blobs.

And they were visible much higher in the sky, too, because of how they came in.

I think the odds aren't _great_ that we'll see something as obvious as Hale-Bopp in the next 50 years, but it would be neat if we could get a few more visible-to-the-naked eye (but no collisions) comets, as it's a celestial treat.

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Re: Re: Halley's Comet
By: Adept to Ed Vance on Fri Nov 01 2024 14:52:26

I had thought the general response was that it didn't pass particularly close, so was underwhelming as an event.

But perhaps it was more visible in the Southern Hemisphere.

I remember the hubub when I was a little kid, didn't see it myself (as far as I remember) even though I was interested in that kind of thing. When I saw the comments about Southern Hemisphere I was a bit confused because I was sure it was *supposed* to be visible in the UK, sounds like it was just a better view from the Southern Hemisphere?

Either way it's due back 2061, apparently. I'm not sure I'll get to see it, though, as that would make me 80 - even if I make it that far I don't expect my eyes to be good enough to pick up on a comet by then :(

Now, the Perseids meteor shower we had a few years back (probably about a decade ago, now that I think of it) I *do* remember seeing, and it was pretty spectacular. Definitely helped by the fact I was on holiday in the countryside with very little light pollution.

BobW
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Hello Ed!

31 Oct 24 11:47, you wrote to all:

This top photo on wikiwpedia is what it actually looked like here in Australia in 1986.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halley%27s_Comet

Vorlon

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Thanks.
That is a great photo.
And thanks for saying that picture IS as good as what You saw.
Ed
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I haven't been lucky enough to see it, though I think it's been more about my location, how cloudy it has been, and when I've remembered to go looking. I'm sad about it, as a naked-eye comet is not common.

I had thought the general response was that it didn't pass particularly close, so was underwhelming as an event.

But perhaps it was more visible in the Southern Hemisphere.

That said, it's doubtlessly the most famous comet, and the only one I'm aware of where there are a lot of historical sightings of it -- though I guess Halley was the one to connect the dots in 1705.

It's also interesting that we're now closer to the next visit than we are to the last, as Halley's Comet started getting closer to the sun as of December of last year.

Thinking of other comets, were you aware of Hyakutake or Hale-Bopp? They came in 1996 and 1997, and were _obvious_, as they peaked at 0 and -1 in the brightness scale, so were about as bright as the brightest (non-planet) star in the night sky, and took up a much larger portion of the sky, as they were fuzzy blobs.

And they were visible much higher in the sky, too, because of how they came in.

I think the odds aren't _great_ that we'll see something as obvious as Hale-Bopp in the next 50 years, but it would be neat if we could get a few more visible-to-the-naked eye (but no collisions) comets, as it's a celestial treat.

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This post may be a repeat I am not sure it was saved earlier.

Here in Southern Indiana USA Comet 2023 Atlas is high in the sky after sunset, it is in the SouthWest now and slowly moving higher and more Southward.

Don't think I saw Hale-Bopp .
As I was leaving church one Wednesday night someone pointed out Hyakutake in the sky.

Hope You get to see Comet Atlas.
Ed
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Thinking of other comets, were you aware of Hyakutake or Hale-Bopp? They came in 1996 and 1997, and were _obvious_, as they peaked at 0 and -1 in the brightness scale, so were about as bright as the brightest (non-planet) star i
the night sky, and took up a much larger portion of the sky, as they were fuzz
blobs.

And they were visible much higher in the sky, too, because of how they came in

They both had very easily visible tails, too (especially Hyakutake!). The current comet does appear to have a tail when photographed with minimal equipment, but my simple naked-eye observations a couple of weekends ago
were similar to Ed's.

It was bright enough to pick out in even a somewhat light-polluted area,
and very easy to pick out (along with Venus) in a darker setting, but the
tail was not visible naked-eye.


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Re: Re: Halley's Comet
By: Bob Worm to Adept on Fri Nov 01 2024 05:29 pm

Now, the Perseids meteor shower we had a few years back (probably about a decade ago, now that I think of it) I *do* remember seeing, and it was prett spectacular. Definitely helped by the fact I was on holiday in the countryside with very little light pollution.

I saw the Perseids in the 1990s up at 7200 feet in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Awesome sight.
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I still see the Comet in the evening around 7:00PM.
Up about 45 Degrees and in the Southwest.
It moves towards the South direction each night.
Ed
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I still see the Comet in the evening around 7:00PM.
Up about 45 Degrees and in the Southwest.
It moves towards the South direction each night.
Ed

7:00PM in original message was EDT
Would be 6:00PM EST now since the time changed Sunday morning
Ed
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Either way it's due back 2061, apparently. I'm not sure I'll get to see it, though, as that would make me 80 - even if I make it that far I
don't expect my eyes to be good enough to pick up on a comet by then :(

I guess that's something that's really special about the comet -- when it comes, those in their 80s will remember it from childhood, and the young children have a solid chance of being around for the next pass.

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