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Comets! Observed for the Astronomical League's Comet Program
Marie Lott, Atlanta, GA
Updated 06/09/24 01:51 PM -0400 |
The following comets were observed using different cameras and techniques.
Many of the comet images and observations have been submitted to the
ALPO comet section.
The first set of 12 comets are shown below. The second set is available
here.
Current total tally: 35
1. |
Click to view larger |
Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner Comet magnitude & location: Mag 10.2 comet in Cepheus Date: 7/11/2018 05:48 UTC Location: Sharon GA (33.553879, -82.761069) Conditions: S 8/10; T 8+/10; SQM 21.67; 25° C; 79% humidity; no moon Scope: Celestron 8" SCT @ f/5 Camera: Mallincam DS10c + 0.5x focal reducer Exposure details: Fifteen 5-second exposures were average-stacked live with dark frames over a period of ~10 minutes, ending at 05:48 UTC (input/output 100 frames). No filter. Image details from astrometry.net: Center (RA, hms): 22h 00m 03.451s Center (Dec, dms): +55° 56' 48.235" Size: 23.1 x 17.4 arcmin Pixel scale: 1.21 arcsec/pixel Orientation: Up is 269° E of N (East is up, North is right.) |
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2. |
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Comet C/2016 M1 (PANSTARRS) Comet magnitude & location: Mag 9.3 comet in Norma Date: 7/20/2018 14:23:37 UTC and 15:19:04 UTC Location: Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia (331:16:30.6 S, 149:11:40.3 E) Conditions: Remote telescope via Sierra Stars Observatory Network. Eight-day moon just setting during exposure 1; moon below horizon during exposure 2 Scope: Planewave 20" CDK @ f/6.8 Camera: SBIG STL6303E Exposure details: Two 45-second exposures spaced 55 minutes apart. No filter.
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Click for blink of the two C/2016 M1 (PANSTARRS) images, cropped, showing movement over 55 minutes |
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3. |
Comet
29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 Comet magnitude & location: Mag 15.1 comet in Capricornus Date: 9/14/2017 12:47:45 Location: Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia (331:16:30.6 S, 149:11:40.3 E) Conditions: Remote telescope via Sierra Stars Observatory Network Scope: Planewave 20" CDK @ f/6.8 Camera: SBIG STL6303E Exposure details: Three 60-second exposures were stacked. No filter. Image details from astrometry.net: Center (RA, hms): 21h 08m 38.919s Center (Dec, dms): -14° 39' 38.988" Size: 27.1 x 17.7 arcmin Pixel scale: 1.09 arcsec/pixel Orientation: Up is 351° E of N |
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4. |
Comet
48P/Johnson
with galaxy PGC 80667 (mag 16.7), bottom left Comet magnitude & location: Mag 14.6 comet in Aquarius Date: 8/7/2018 12:31:27 UTC Location: Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia (331:16:30.6 S, 149:11:40.3 E) Conditions: Remote telescope via Sierra Stars Observatory Network Scope: Planewave 20" CDK @ f/6.8 Camera: SBIG STL6303E Exposure details: Two 60-second exposures were stacked. No filter. Image details from astrometry.net: Center (RA, hms): 22h 43m 20.959s Center (Dec, dms): -22° 40' 48.190" Size: 27.8 x 18.6 arcmin Pixel scale: 1.09 arcsec/pixel Orientation: Up is 351° E of N |
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5.1 |
Comet
37P/Forbes
with bright star TYC 0589-0522-1, plus galaxies PGC 1274468 and PGC 3092233 Comet magnitude & location: Mag 13.7 comet in Pisces; comet confirmed in Astrometrica with measured photometric magnitude of 14.263 Date: 8/7/2018 13:31:58 UTC Location: Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia (331:16:30.6 S, 149:11:40.3 E) Conditions: Remote telescope via Sierra Stars Observatory Network Scope: Planewave 20" CDK @ f/6.8 Camera: SBIG STL6303E Exposure details: One 60-second exposure. No filter. Image details from astrometry.net: Center (RA, hms): 23h 43m 00.981s Center (Dec, dms): +04° 56' 08.256" Size: 27.9 x 18.6 arcmin Pixel scale: 1.09 arcsec/pixel Orientation: Up is 351° E of N |
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5.2 |
Comet
37P/Forbes
(3 days later) with bright stars HD 222520 and HD 222463 Comet magnitude & location: Mag 13.7 comet in Pisces; comet confirmed in Astrometrica with measured photometric magnitude of 16.87 Date: 8/10/2018 18:39:33 UTC Location: Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia (331:16:30.6 S, 149:11:40.3 E) Conditions: Remote telescope via Sierra Stars Observatory Network Scope: Planewave 20" CDK @ f/6.8 Camera: SBIG STL6303E Exposure details: One 60-second exposure. No filter. Image details from astrometry.net: Center (RA, hms): 23h 41m 32.267s Center (Dec, dms): +05° 17' 47.914" Size: 27.8 x 18.5 arcmin Pixel scale: 1.09 arcsec/pixel Orientation: Up is 352° E of N |
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6. |
Click below for blink of the ten C/2018 N1 (NEOWISE) images, cropped, showing movement over 17 minutes: |
Comet
C/2018 N1 (NEOWISE)
discovered 2 July 2018 with bright star TYC 6186-0720-1 (Mag 10.65, NE) and distant galaxies PGC 898406 (mag 16.62/450Mly, W), PGC 896951 (mag 16.56/540Mly, SW) Comet magnitude & location: Mag 16.0 comet in Libra; Astrometrica measured photometric magnitude of 14.224 Date: 8/13/18 12:34:36 UTC Location: Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia (331:16:30.6 S, 149:11:40.3 E) Conditions: Remote telescope Scope: Planewave 20" CDK @ f/6.8 Camera: SBIG STL6303E Exposure details: One 60-second exposure. No filter. Image details from astrometry.net: Center (RA, hms): 15h 45m 41.315s Center (Dec, dms): -16° 26' 51.068" Size: 27.8 x 18.6 arcmin Pixel scale: 1.09 arcsec/pixel Orientation: Up is 353° E of N |
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7. |
Comet
38P/Stephan-Oterma
Comet magnitude & location: Mag 9.3 comet in Gemini Date: 11/5/2018 11:45:29 UTC Location: Sonoita, Arizona USA (31:39:56 N, 110:36:06.4 W) Conditions: Remote telescope via Sierra Stars Observatory Network Scope: Planewave 20" CDK @ f/6.8 Camera: Andor IKON-L 936 Exposure details: One 30-second exposure. Luminance filter. Image details from astrometry.net: Center (RA, hms): 07h 20m 27.687s Center (Dec, dms): +19° 52' 11.716" Size: 27.6 x 27.6 arcmin Pixel scale: 0.81 arcsec/pixel Orientation: Up is 4.24° E of N |
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8.1 |
Comet
64P/Swift-Gehrels
Comet magnitude & location: Mag 11.1 comet in Andromeda Date: 11/5/2018 5:18:21 UTC (poor seeing) Location: Sonoita, Arizona USA (31:39:56 N, 110:36:06.4 W) Conditions: Remote telescope via Sierra Stars Observatory Network Scope: Planewave 20" CDK @ f/6.8 Camera: Andor IKON-L 936 Exposure details: One 30-second exposure. Luminance filter. Image details from astrometry.net: Center (RA, hms): 00h 53m 20.465s Center (Dec, dms): +36° 55' 12.710" Size: 27.6 x 27.6 arcmin Pixel scale: 0.809 arcsec/pixel Orientation: Up is 4.35° E of N |
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8.2 |
Comet
64P/Swift-Gehrels
Comet magnitude & location: Mag 11.3 comet in Andromeda Date: 11/18/2018 4:40:55 UTC Location: Sonoita, Arizona USA (31:39:56 N, 110:36:06.4 W) Conditions: Remote telescope via Sierra Stars Observatory Network Scope: Planewave 20" CDK @ f/6.8 Camera: Andor IKON-L 936 Exposure details: One 30-second exposure. Luminance filter. Image details from astrometry.net: Center (RA, hms): 01h 15m 09.416s Center (Dec, dms): +36° 11' 56.402" Size: 27.6 x 27.6 arcmin Pixel scale: 0.809 arcsec/pixel Orientation: Up is 4.25° E of N |
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9. |
Comet 46P/Wirtanen Comet magnitude & location: Mag 6.2 comet in Fornax Date: 11/15/2018 13:31:24 UTC Location: Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia (331:16:30.6 S, 149:11:40.3 E) Conditions: Remote telescope via Sierra Stars Observatory Network Scope: Planewave 20" CDK @ f/6.8 Camera: SBIG STL6303E Exposure details: Two 30-second exposures No filter. Image details from astrometry.net: Center (RA, hms): 02h 06m 34.707s Center (Dec, dms): -31° 24' 13.517" Size: 27.8 x 18.5 arcmin Pixel scale: 1.09 arcsec/pixel Orientation: Up is 351° E of N |
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10. |
Field w/o comet from Sky Safari : |
Comet C/2016 N6 (PANSTARRS) Comet magnitude & location: Mag 14.4 comet in Canis Major Date: 2/2/2019 12:52:51 UTC Location: Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia (331:16:30.6 S, 149:11:40.3 E) Conditions: Remote telescope via Sierra Stars Observatory Network Scope: Planewave 20" CDK @ f/6.8 Camera: SBIG STL6303E Exposure details: One 60-second exposure. No filter. Image details from astrometry.net: Center (RA, hms): 06h 13m 17.096s Center (Dec, dms): -22° 13' 03.607" Size: 27.8 x 18.5 arcmin Pixel scale: 1.09 arcsec/pixel Orientation: Up is 351° E of N |
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11. |
Click for animation
of travel over 30 minutes: |
Comet
C/2018 Y1 Iwamoto Comet magnitude & location: Mag 10.1 comet in Leo-Cancer Date: 2/14/2019 06:03 UTC (midpoint of exposures) Location: Sharon GA (33.553879, -82.761069) Conditions: S 8/10; T 7/10; SQM 19.98; 3° C; 80% humidity; 63% moon Scope: Celestron 8" SCT @ f/10 Camera: Mallincam DS10cTEC Exposure details: 15-second exposures were live-stacked with dark frames & auto-captured every 30 seconds over a period of 30 minutes. The resulting images were combined in PIPP to create this animation. No filter. Image (left) details from astrometry.net: Center (RA, hms): 9h 22m 24.997s Center (Dec, dms): +22° 37' 21.703" Size: 27 x 20.2 arcmin Pixel scale: 2.02 arcsec/pixel Orientation: Up is 307° E of N (East is up, North is right.) |
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12. |
Comet
123P/West-Hartley
Comet magnitude & location: Mag 12.6 comet in Ursa Major Date: 02/26/2019 8:32:22 UTC Location: Sonoita, Arizona USA (31:39:56 N, 110:36:06.4 W) Conditions: Remote telescope via Sierra Stars Observatory Network Scope: Planewave 20" CDK @ f/6.8 Camera: Andor IKON-L 936 Exposure details: One 60-second exposure. Luminance filter. Image details from astrometry.net: Center (RA, hms): 11h 28m 39.865s Center (Dec, dms): +31° 56' 46.665" Size: 18.7 x 18.7 arcmin Pixel scale: 1.09 arcsec/pixel Orientation: Up is 4.25° E of N |
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