Solar Eclipse

So T is over in WA to see the total solar eclipse in or near to Exmouth.  Locally we get the partial (21%) eclipse version.

Time to bring out the solar projector box again.

...or, it would have been, but this is Melbourne and at about 1230 a high cloud cover rolled in.  

So all the ideas of getting a pic of the full solar disc, the start of the partial eclipse, and then another at the full 21% went right out the window.

So yeah.

Anyway, here's a photo from T of the total eclipse.

Beautiful.

Next Australian Total Eclipse is July 22nd, 2028 and it rolls right across Central NSW and Sydney.  Time to star planning for that.

The Green Comet - C2022/E3 (ZTF)

 Well, barely.

So it was above the horizon only after February 7th (Tues).  I had busy evenings until Saturday the 11th, and it was a beautiful clear day... right up until 2130 just as it got dark enough to get outside and have a look!  Curse you Melbourne skies!!!

Sunday was also cloudy. 

Finally Monday night (the 13th) was clear enough to see that part of the sky, and I just made the time to go out and have a look.

After a study of Stellarium, I confirmed it should be about 2/3rds between Antares and Mars, just a fraction higher than a line between the two.

It took a while... and another look at Stellarium to check... I finally saw a smear, a faint blur, the barest wisp of light only just brighter than the sky behind it.  Almost lost in the light pollution of the sky above Lalor.

I first found it in the 25mm, and then worked up through the 17mm and the 13mm.

This wasn't a moment of "Yay! A majestic comet!", this was "Hey, I found it! That was ridiculous!"

There was no hope of trying to image it with my simple mobile phone setup, so I'll just have to remember the thrill of finding that smudgy, faint, blur.