With a growing collection of measurements on my list, I wanted to put together a graph showing the change in size of the comet's main structures. As other observers have noted, the growth has been linear, so it should be straightforward to make some predictions about its size in the...
October 2007 Archives
Move mouse over sketch above to view labels. Click image for larger version. Move mouse over sketch above to view labels. Click image for larger version. Observation Notes: The comet has now taken on a sort of off-white newsprint color. The outer halo fades out softly and high thin...
After discussing how the annular appearance to the coma of 17P / Holmes may be an illusion, a very good point was raised. I was directed to some images of the comet that very clearly show a distinctly brighter ring around the edge. Checking values in Photoshop showed that these...
Visual observations of the comet have been giving me the strong impression that there is a slightly brighter, ring-like structure along the outer edge of the coma. Photographs were showing the same effect, but along with other observers, I was wondering if this was a real feature or perhaps an...
Observation Notes: Due to extreme sleep deficit, I had to pass up detailed observing and sketching this comet tonight. To the naked eye, it now is clearly non-stellar and appears as an extremely tiny disc. Through binoculars, it is slap-in-the-face obvious and cream colored. Through the low power 48X view,...
Move mouse over sketch above to view labels. Click image for larger version. Move mouse over sketch above to view labels. Click image for larger version. Observation Notes: And it just keeps growing and growing and growing... The comet's naked eye brightness seems the same as the last two...
Move mouse over sketch above to view labels. Click to view larger image. Observation Notes: I've had a horrible time finding this comet from my house and a nearby road the last few evenings. I don't have a great western horizon in this part of town. The comet had...
Move mouse over sketch above to view labels. Click image for larger version. Click above image for larger version. Observation Notes: Over the course of the last 24 hours, the size of this comet has increased greatly. Using my astrometric eyepiece, I measured the central condensation at about 35...
When I took up amateur astronomy, I did it with the dual purpose of satisfying my own boundless curiosity about everything cosmic, AND to share that interest with my family. My 6 inch (150 mm) SkyView Pro Newtonian has served that first part perfectly. But it turned out not to...
Move mouse over sketch above to view labels. Click image for larger version. Observation Notes: Have you ever seen a golden comet? The thought had never occurred to me--until tonight. Earlier today, reports started arriving that observers in Asia had noted an extraordinary outburst in periodic comet 17P /...
Move mouse over sketch above to view labels. Click sketch above to view larger image. Observation Notes: Driving back from Phoenix with the latest addition to our telescope family (an Orion XT8 Dobsonian!), I took a detour to McMillan Mesa with the kids to have a look at C/2007...
Click image for larger version Observation Notes: On the night of this observation, I settled in for a nice long look at NGC 457 and nearby NGC 436 with my 15 x 70 Oberwerk binoculars. I used my mirror mount which allowed me to sit comfortably and look down while...
Click image for larger version Observation Notes: Just because I've known Polaris was a double star all along doesn't mean I've taken the opportunity to point my telescope at it. Until now. And it turned out to be a nice one. The difference in magnitude as fairly large, but because...
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