Comet C/2007 N3 Lulin (updated)

Tonight I made my first observation of Comet Lulin as it moved Westwards through Virgo heading towards Leo and the planet Saturn which is presently near the lion's hind leg (σ Leo). I observed the comet through my 15x70 Celestron binoculars. Unfortunately there was some thin cloud but the comet was still visible. At 22:10 CET it was very close to the 7.79 magnitude star HD104484. Over a short period of time the motion of the comet relative to the star was noticeable. I was able to note hint of a tail to the West of the comet. Later on, at about 00:45 CET, I again observed the comet which had moved very close to the 6.17 magnitude star HD104055.

Not to be missed is the conjunction of the comet with Saturn on the night between the 23rd and 24th February.

Two Conjunctions

2008 left us with a great view of two simultaneous conjunctions. On the last evening of the year the 15% crescent Moon lay about 2 degrees away from Venus while lower down, just above the horizon the largest and smallest planets, Jupiter and Mercury, were just about one degree apart. This was a great opportunity to see three planets including the elusive Mercury in the same part of the sky all within about eight degrees. Although not visible to the naked eye, Neptune was only about 2.5 degrees away from the Moon making it a triple conjunction.

Later on, after the midnight champagne, at around one o'clock at night I could observe Saturn in Leo close to the border with Virgo, making it four out of a possible five visible planets in one night.

Mira

Mira (Omicron Ceti) is approaching it's maximum. It is a long-period pulsating variable with a period of 331.96 days. I observed it yesterday through binoculars but it was easily visible with the naked eye. The AAVSO website gives its present magnitude at around 3.5. I also caught my first glimpse of Saturn for this season just after midnight as it rose in the Easten sky in Leo, close to the border with Virgo.