Comet McNaught

The last few evenings were disappointing as thick cloud obscured the western horizon. I had given up ever seeing this comet. Today my hopes were raised as the day was much clearer with some light cloud. When sunset came the zenith was clear but disappointingly there were these dark clouds low to the West covering some 60% of the lower 10 degrees. I had taken my binoculars to work as the view to the West from my office window is unobstructed. After some moments of panic as the light ebbed with the comet hidden by cloud, I suddenly spotted it. It dodged the clouds as I followed it until it disappeared behind some low hills. It was bright. Through 16x50 binoculars I could see it and its tail in the orange sunset glow even though it was only half a degree above the horizon.

This was the first naked eye comet I have seen since the unforgetable Hale Bopp of ten years ago. Simply amazing.