[X] My Assistant

[fredk]

On further thought, since we have to wait almost a year before we cross the outward plane of McNaught's orbit, any debris from it we'd intersect would need to have been emitted from the nucleus almost a year ago. But the nucleus was quiet then. I'd say we're out of luck.

[ngunn]

Thanks for your great posts fredk, very informative.

[Mongo]

From a post about possible meteor showers from McNaught:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/comets-ml/message/11733

I just computed possible radiants using the DOSMET software.

There are 2 possible encounters: For the post-T-arc on June 19,
distance a bit large (0.127 aU), Radiant: RA=315 dec, dec = -32 deg, in
Microscopium.

For the pre-T-arc: December 24, distance even larger 075 au; Radiant
RA=234, Dek +38; ,

So I am a bit pessimistic concerning meteor showers from P1.

Hartwig

Bill

[nprev]

Any late-breaking visual reports from the Southern Hemisphere? Haven't seen anything for awhile...

[Mongo]

It looks like the comet is gradually fading. Here is a report from Thursday:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/comets-ml/message/11732

No major changes in the naked eye tail tonight. It has swung a
fraction more to the south, causing it to rise higher into Tucana and
Phoenix. The southern edge is still bright and sharply defined. The
fainter northern edge is getting harder to pick in the moonlight. The
nucleus is still bright and compact at 100x. Two thirds of the tail are
still of greater surface brightness than the Large Cloud of Magellan.
Through binoculars the original lower edge can be seen leaving the
nucleus at an angle of about 70 degrees to the bright southern edge but
can only be followed for about a degree. The tail can still be traced
for about 30 degrees with a maximum width of about 6 degrees.

Bill

[nprev]

Thanks, Mongo!

It sounds like it's still pretty <clinking> impressive, though...the tail is brighter than the LMC even with moonlight? Wow.