Comet streaks above gobsmacked stargazers January 16, 2007 ABC radio Newcastle

Those are all the 'tools' required to see the Comet McNaught - named after the Australian astronomer who discovered it - according vice-president of the Newcastle Astronomical Society David Hough.

Hough joined about 20 observers at sunset (about 8pm) last night, in the Newcatle suburb of Shortland, to gaze at the comet which is right now brighter in the night sky than the planet Venus.

'It's the splendour of the event, I think, and it's something you don't ordinarily see,' Mr Hough said, 'Being such a bright comet in the setting western sky it provides quite a view.'

Other groups are expected to gather again tonight at vantage points in Redhead Bluff, Mt Sugarloaf and Strzelecki Lookout to gaze at the comet.

Encore presentation tonight at sunset

Mr Hough said the comet will appear again tonight, 'just above the setting sun' and 'slightly to the left'.

'If you were to put your fist out in front of you and just extend your thumb a little bit, that's about how high from the sun it was,' he said.

'That (your thumb is) the technical manual you need to travel with! Tonight's actually going more to the left, and slightly higher; so where it was directly above the sun yesterday, today it will be a five or 10 degrees tilt just to the other side.'

Conditions last night in the Hunter were an improvement on viewing conditions on Sunday and Monday which were hampered by smoke and cloud.

'We managed to have a western horizon that was reasonably cloud free . . . and we were able to get some good photos,' Mr Hough said.

Astro photographers flock to vantage points

Mr Hough is one of a small band of amateur astro-photographers in the Hunter and on the Central Coast who attend 'star parties' in remote locations, held to coincide with significant astronomical events.

'For some people with the astrophotography bug the art is taken to the extreme sometimes, where they process the images a lot to bring out as much detail as possible,' Mr Hough explained. 'I wont say I'm that craft but I enjoy capturing the images.'

There was some cloud last night which interfered with optimum conditions for viewing and photographing the comet.

'As the sun was setting - and the sun's influence or halo around the sun was starting to dissipate - the comet was really shining out,' he said.

'If that cloud bank wasn't there, it really would have shown up as very bright just before (the sun) set.'

Comet best seen with binoculars

Although it will be possible to see the comet with the naked eye, Mr Hough recommended enhancing the view experience with a set of binoculars.

'It's very hard to spot just as soon as the sun sets,' he said. 'Once you pick it up with a pair of binoculars, and you're looking in the same spot, then your mind starts playing little tricks with you, and you can actually see it.'

'As it starts to go into the horizon and the evening sky it starts to bring out the brightness of the comet, with the backdrop.'

The Comet McNaught's performance is expected to be visible for at least another week, Mr Hough said.

'It's decreasing in magnitude each day,' he said. 'It peaked out Sunday and Monday during that time.'

It was easy to distinguish the comet from the planet Venus, which is normally the brightest object in the night sky, visible just after sunset.

'You'll see Venus in the night sky now too, to the far right of where you're looking for the comet,' he said.