Double Cluster and Machholz side by side tonight

by Ralph Aguirre

I had a chance to peek at both Comet Machholz and the Double cluster in Perseus, NGC884/NGC869 side by side tonight. In 10x42 binoculars, it was tough to make out the double cluster because it was so tiny at 10x but the glow of Machholz was still very apparant.

Using my grab and go TV-85, I was able to see the see both the Double Cluster and Machholz both side by side in the same field of view. They seemed to be just over 4 degrees apart, with Machholz about at 10:O'clock to the double cluster.

Surprizingly, the skies cleared up nicely here in Elk Grove, especially after all that hail and thunderous rain we had earlier. Tomorrow should be clear also, at least out here, based on weather forcasts.

The moon starts to show up just over the roof tops of houses by 10pm so at least until then, it sould be one of those rare nights of clear viewing, at least till the fog rolls in, in the early morning. Im not an imager, but the astrophotography crowd would have had a nice view tonight with these two objects side by side.

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Posted on tac-sac Jan 28, 2005 22:07:29 PT
Converted by report.pm 1.2 Jan 29, 2005 09:34:20 PT