Comet: C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE)
Planet: Jupiter, Saturn
Stars: α Böo (Arcturus), ζ Böo (Mufrid), 36, Com, 38 Com, α Com, Dubhe, χ1 Sgr, χ3 Sgr     
HD Stars:
114725, 114762, 115166, 115183, 115381, 115404, 173278, 173744, 174005 
HR Stars: 
4987, 4992, 4962, 5007, 7007, 7024, 7034, 7083 
Messier:
M11

Satellite

Identified, not Observed & Not entered into Logbook or database:
Big Dipper, Boötes, Coma Berenices, M53, Melotte 111, NGC 5053, Serpens Caput

Location: Home
Date: 2020-08-06
Time: 10:18 PM - 11:50 PM ADT
Equipment: Visual, 10x42 IS Binoculars
Temperature: 18° C - 17° C
SQM: 18.52 - 19.31
Transparency: Poor (5)
Seeing: Poor (5)

Clear skies. Enjoyed an evening observing with Jerry at home. Clouds coming in the from SSE late rent he sessions negated the ability to view Jupiter and its moons, and other objects in that area of the sky. 

Comet NEOWISE
I used α Böo (Arcturus) and ζ Böo (Mufrid) along with the line of stars from Coma Berenices and Melotte 111. It took a while to find with averted vision. I suspected it had gone past α Com. Even when I found it, I was not sure if it was the comet or one of the adjacent DSOs, but the star field I saw confirmed the comet. An email from Michael Boschat was read after I returned indoors and his photo confirmed my observation. 

Comet NEOWISE in Coma Berenices

Messier 11 (Wild Duck Cluster)
The main reason for this observing session was to view the comet. However, M11 caught my eye so I was determined to identify all the stars I used to locate the cluster. In the Scutum Star Cloud, I look for β Scutum and λ Aquila then look below them for what looks to be an upside-down and backwards golf club with a 'fuzzy' ball beside the head of the club. That fuzzy ball is M11.

Where to find M11

Satellite
Time: 11:27 PM - 11:28 PM
Equipment: Binoculars
Caught motion in Serpens and followed it past Boötes to above Dubhe in the Big Dipper before it disappeared.

Similar Items