Jolly Green Comet visible tonight!

Thanks for helpful sky-map... and then came the clouds.  Better luck tomorrow maybe?

Couldn't see it, any distinguishing marks?  Has it got a tail yet? Or maybe it's green?

...and jolly by all accounts!

Its visible, just.  Can't see it with damn single street light pollution on the front of my house, but back garden is OK.  It's better with bino's, but cant see much of a tail. It's too low in th sky now (01:00) gonna try a 20/30 sec exposure photo if/when conditions permit from tomorrow as that brings out details the eye can't see.

Clouds parted, Orion is back, but struggling to find Jolly Green.  Jupiter's moons looking good though.  I've come back in to study the map.  If i follow Orion's belt I might just get there...

Can't say that I've seen that,  but I've seen the moons around Jupiter and photographed the Orion Nebula.  A great time of year to look at stars 

It's a few clicks right of Orion more or less in line with the belt but too low to see unaided so late in the sky time;  22:00 GMT is the best time

We had good clear seeing last night, but I didn't know what to look for.

Must get some bins, any recommendations for size, type and make? Maybe some thing for bird general use as well? I'd like to but I don't want to set up an observatory.

Howard

I would recommend (in no particular order ) Leica, Zeiss or Swarovski, having seen how superior they were when I worked for Dixons/Wallace Wheaton as was.

I would consider 7/8 x42 or 8 x23, for example. Try to find a good dealer who can explain things and ideally a dealer who will let you look through them OUTSIDE. It's no use looking through bino's indoors....

Hope this helps

ATB, Allen

10x42 are a good GP size/weight for sky, bird & general use

Make is a bit budget dependent,  avoid the cheap end as these will never satisfy long term,  the high end are around the same price as a Naim amp. 

My GP pair are Opticron Verano BGA HD Roof Prism & was able to see the comet with them last evening.

Not sure I can justify £ 400+ for a pair, I was thinking more RSPB Avocet  10X42 about £135 to dip my toe in so to speak.

Yes these are good entry levels.

I believe RSPB bino's are made by Viking  

You might also have a surf at Bushnell,  Mrs Mike has a pair of "Nature View" 10x42 roof prisms,  I see they are £145 on Binoculars UK www.   

Thanks Al and Mike. I'll have a look at the lower end recommendations.

I now have a place in Palm Sp, CA, what a night sky they have out there,  I was thinking when I have more time learning about the stars and planets and watching them. Sure there must be an amateur group around.  LA has too much light pollution.