Activity

I can bring my laser collimator to the meeting (it is an inexpensive one, $21 on Amazon) that works well with my 6 inch f/4 scope.  Might try it and if it also works with Colin’s scope he can get one for himself.  With reflectors, it’s a good idea to check collimation every time you observe.

Randy, I would really like to do that, if I bring it to the next meeting could we do it then?

Hi Colin, If the telescope hasn’t been collimated (mirrors aligned), then doing that may vastly improve the image. We can take a look at it and perform the collimation for free if you wish. Let me know.
Thanks,

Randy Hemann
whatsup dot hemann at gmail.com

<p style=”text-align: left;”>C/2023 A3 looking nearly stellar in my cell phone shot through my grab and go setup on 2024-10-27 at 7:56pm.  Visually, I could see quite a bit of tail but the phone didn’t seem to pick it up.</p>
 

Bob, article  https://rochesterskies.org/comet-c-2023-a3-tsuchinshan-atlas/ is now updated with your beautiful pictures of the comet A3 from October 25 and October 27.

Comet C/2023 A3 among the stars of Ophiuchus (R) this evening (10-27).  Some stars are identified with their magnitude and SAO number or just their magnitude. Left part of the image is courtesy Stellarium.

Probably however, the comet will be consumed by the sun in its closest approach. https://spaceweather.com/.  The latest SOHO image shows a small comet approaching the sun.

I think the very first opportunity to see C/2024 S1 (ATLAS) will come at 7:25 on the morning of October 29, when the comet will be at zero altitude on the Rochester horizon and the Sun will be about 3.5 degrees below the horizon. You might be able to see the tail rising, which should run diagonally to the right below Spica. Visibility will improve…[Read more]

Nice one, Bob.

I hope that sungrazer survives its trip around the Sun. If it does we’ll have another comet to focus on before the end of the year.

That gif file looks poorly up close.  Below is a reduced PNG file instead.

Observing last night from my observatory.  The SW sky isn’t too light polluted and the comet was viewed and photographed from 8 to 9 pm.  Was using my 6 inch 150P Quattro scope and ZWO183 MC camera and Sky Watcher HEQ5 Pro mount.  Stacked six 5 second frames.  The image below is a relative closeup of the comet when it was near star SAO 122368 in Ophiuchus.

Yesterday, Friday, October 25, I was briefly observing at the KR7 reservoir in the upper parking lot, which has a better view than the lower parking lot. Unfortunately, from here you can also see the light sources on the horizon and there is clear light pollution from the city. Still, it’s a good place to observe near the city. Clouds were chasing…[Read more]

Tonight (10/23), viewing from dark skies in NE Wisconsin near Trego, comet C/2023 A3 is a naked eye object in the middle of Ophiuchus.  The comet is glorious in binoculars.  It is about 12 degrees below Rasalhague and 8 degrees or so above the two globular stars clusters M10 and M12.  I estimate the tail at 8-10 degrees and it appears intact in sp…[Read more]

The comet was barely visible last night. I was wondering if it had faded that much or was it this thing’s fault?

This was a few shots, a couple exposed for the Moon and a couple exposed for the silhouetted land.

Superb stacked image Duane!

Nice. Keep ’em comin’.   :).    The last shots I took last night was 8 shots with my iPhone. I stacked those tonight, aligned and stacked them, corrected the horizon, and stretched the image with curves to get this.

Great shots Duane that show the extent of comet C 2023 A3’s long tail.

I’ve selected a cell phone picture that was taken through the 50 mm finder scope-2x Barlow lens- 20 mm eyepiece concoction that was guided by my telescope mount.  I’ve identified some stars and the globular cluster M5 as well.

So glad to see several of you out there tonight.

I processed my first comet images from tonight (Oct 15th 2024) and got a surprise. M5 is up and to the right of the comet!  In this image you can also make out the other tail (pointing forward). I’m so glad I got out!