MORNING BINOCULAR COMET

Location:  Saint John, NB, Canada

Date Time:  December 4th, 2021 0450-0530

Weather:  Very cold, blustery, swirling winds about 20km/hr, -7.4C, 62% humidity, mostly clear, to partly cloudy.

Equipment:  Canon Rebel t3 with 18-55mm lens and 15x70 binoculars.  Images processed with Photoshop.

Attendance:  David McCashion

Objective:  To view and image Comet C/2021 A1 Leonard, which was reported to be near a 5th mag star, about 5 degrees above Arcturus in the morning, Eastern sky. 

Report:

• First attempt at 0450hrs, searched area above Arcturus with binos.  There was some passing clouds present, didn't see the comet in binos, and it was too windy to take images.  Went inside to warm up.
• Went back out at approximately 0525hrs and wind was about the same.  Decided to try imaging anyway.  Images were greatly affected by wind, but the comet does show up, right where it was reported to be.  

25 sec, f/6.3, focal length 46mm, ISO 3200

25 sec, f/6.3, focal length 32mm, ISO 3200

•  After imaging, searched the area above Arcturus again with binos and found the fuzzy, grayish, greenish patch, with a brighter central region below and to the right of the approx. 5th magnitude star.  This is exactly where Comet C/2021 A1 Leonard was reported to be.  We now have a bino comet in the morning!
• Seen one shooting star, almost straight overhead, to the east.  Faint, very fast, heading from west to east.