I’ve just finished checking out Comet Lulin (C/2007 N3). It’s 4:43am, -5C in the backyard but feels colder. The Sky Quality Meter has just given a reading of 19.65 which is the highest “score” I’ve had at the dobservatory, to-date. That’s a theoretical naked eye limiting magnitude of 5.3 but without checking a chart I dispute that rating because, despite a slight breeze, the transparency isn’t so great.
I located Lulin first with 10×50 binoculars – it appeared as a fairly substantial, gray, hazy patch, not terribly bright yet a fairly easy catch.
The 12″ dob revealed it as a small globular-like entity with a bright core and distinct halo within which was star TYC 4939-278-1. The star and the core appeared to be close in brightness. The star is listed as mag. 7.8 but I expect that would be slightly dimmed by the comet halo in front of it. And the apparent magnitude of both items would of course be affected by the less than great transparency.
That’s the extent of my comet sighting but I couldn’t pack up without a look at Saturn. Even with the rings practically “closed’, it is still an amazing sight.
At high power (214x) I struggled see a fragment of Cassini’s Division. Did I, didn’t I, was it my imagination, an artifact of the seeing? I can’t say for sure but I was able to make out the thinnest ring shadow line across the planet and both North and South Equatorial belts along with Titan, Dionne and Rhea off the one flank.
End of report – I’m going back to bed.

Glenn – out.

UPDATE: 9:40am On checking out a simulation of Saturn it would appear that the gap between the rings and the planet is much more pronounced at this time than any part of Cassini’s Division that would still be visible. Since I definitely did not notice the larger gap I would have to say that I also didn’t see C.D. Perhaps a dark coloured filter to cut some glare would help.

Glenn