"Comet Hunting With A Telrad" - Emmanuel Snodgrass

An increasing number of amateurs are discovering the value of a humble Telrad for their comet-seeking, and it is not clear why this had not happened sooner. With its wide field of view and freedom from chromatic aberration, it has two of the most important features valued by comet hunters.

You can either hand hold the instrument, or if you prefer, go as far as Emmanuel Snodgrass of 42 No Through Road, Dunedoo who has equatorially mounted his Telrad and fitted it with a guide-scope, a TeleVue Genesis no less!

Emmanuel was almost the co-discoverer of the brilliant comet Hyakutake, stopped only by the fact that the comet was about 25 degrees below his northern horizon when found. "I prefer to hunt for the brighter comets..." said Emmanuel "...since the Telrad is optimised for comets brighter than magnitude 4, and I am certain that if any 1st magnitude comets appear over Dunedoo, I will be the first to spot them."

Emmanuel hunts comets every evening after finishing his shift as a biological control officer at the Dunedoo Waste Reclamation Depot.