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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!

One more time: a view last night 10-14 at RRP

Getting this message when posting: https://wordpress.org/support/topic/there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-your-website-134/.  Is there a work around or what am I doing wrong!?

I had a meeting at Assisi Heights till 8 PM tonight, actually little bit longer. After, I tried to look at West horizon, I saw  Arcturus, not Venus. I did not see comet A3 with certainty.

I hope I will go to the Root River park on Tue 10/15 to see A3 coma next to the M5, about 1 degree apart.

The comet is now a pretty obvious naked eye object.  I was alone at Root River Park tonight and can heartily recommend this site as a great place to view the comet as it climbs higher in the western sky.  I had no trouble seeing the comet’s 10 degree tail and will be here tomorrow to take some pics.

Here is what little view Dustin and I managed from Salem Glen.  From 6:00 to 6:20 the clouds parted but by 7:00 they were thick again.  We waited for several holes in the clouds to blow over with the best views coming at 7:43.  The tail was visually noted before taking the photos with my phone to confirm.  We never did see Venus.

Weather looking a bit sketchy, but I am headed to Salem Glen regardless.

Thank you Bob, for spotting it first. Once you directed my eyes to the right spot I could see it. Before that it was invisible.

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Here are the details for Salem Glen viewing of C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS tonight.  We can park on the grass field near the hill so we don’t have to carry gear all the way from the parking lot.  We can set up any time after 5:00pm.  The winery closes at 5:00pm so arrive earlier if you wish to enjoy their wares.  We…[Read more]

Very nice pics Duane and Kirk!  We spotted the comet just east of due W and close to  the elevation of Venus.  Was difficult to see until the western sky darkened a bit and then it was a good binocular object with a 7 to 10 degree tail.  The photos above nicely capture what could be seen with binoculars.  As the comet climbs higher in the west…[Read more]

Nicely done, Josef. We were at Root River Park. It’s a dim naked eye comet, but longer exposures can pull it out nicely. Here’s a vertical image with it a bit higher up in the sky.

C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS
2024-Oct-12 194mm 2sec f22 ISO3200

This was a much more gratifying view of comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS!  The clouds parted for an unobstructed view and it dewed up and clouded up once the comet set.

In the early evening, I went to Dakota Middle School. There’s a good view of the western horizon from there. On the way, I took a 50th Ave NW I noticed an unobstructed view of the western horizon in the gap between the houses so I observed from 50th Ave NW. I tried to capture the comet by camera. At about 7:10PM I saw the comet in the binocular…[Read more]

C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS

2024-Oct-12

103mm 2sec f22 ISO3200