There's a lovely, easy to find, binocular comet visible in our evening southern skies right now.
The comet is displaying three gorgeous tails in photographs!
Comet C/2014 Q1 PanSTARRS seen here, was imaged by IceInSpace member, Colin Legg on July 15th from Burns Beach, Western Australia at 10.47 UT.
But you'd better hurry if you want to catch it at its brightest.
"Over the next few nights it will climb higher but also fade as it leaves the sun. Friday night it will sit around 1/2 way between Moon and Jupiter best seen between 6:40 and 7 pm. Saturday night it will be around 3 degrees below and slightly left of the Moon. Best seen in binoculars", Colin wrote.
The comet made perihelion on July 6th. Its current magnitude estimates are around +4 to +5. Seeing it naked eye could be difficult against the twilight sky so binoculars or a small telescope are recommended.
Michael Mattiazzo’s observations in the Universe Today article (link below) wrote, “The view through my 25 x 100 mm binoculars showed a lovely parabolic dust hood about half a degree to the east. Photographically the comet showed three separate tails, a forked ion tail about 1.5° long. Embedded within this was the main dust tail about half a degree long to the east and an unusual feature at right angles to the main tail — a broad “dust trail” 1° long to the north.”
Well worth a look. Here is a 30 sec image taken near Lake Wivenhoe after the Moon had set and then a 5 sec image taken earlier when the Moon was still above the horizon/tree line and the comet barely visible.
Thank you for these Dennis .
I particularly love the first one.
*sigh* it's a Saturday night and looks to be a lovely clear night tonight, and if hubby and I weren't sick right now, it'd certainly be well worth the trip out that way to Lake Mooggerah, but right now, being out there in the cold, isn't such a great idea .
I'll give the comet a go at 30 secs like you did and see how it turns out.
Thank you for these Dennis .
I particularly love the first one.
*sigh* it's a Saturday night and looks to be a lovely clear night tonight, and if hubby and I weren't sick right now, it'd certainly be well worth the trip out that way to Lake Mooggerah, but right now, being out there in the cold, isn't such a great idea .
I'll give the comet a go at 30 secs like you did and see how it turns out.
Hi Susy
Sorry to hear of your collective ailments – hope you both get better soon!
Yesterday (Fri 17th July) we were brutalised by the cruel westerlies, hammering us at Wivenhoe Dam, but were lucky to find a clump of trees that offered some welcome protection.
I was using a Skywatcher Star Adventurer, roughly polar aligned using a compass and protractor so I was able to extend the exposures to 30 secs with the 50mm lens at ISO3200, F5.6.
managed to see it through 15 by 80 bino's and image it quickly last night using a 400 mm prime lens.Only a single image at 3.2 seconds iso very high at 12800.But very pleased to get an image and see it.More images from 5D and 24-105 lens to follow.Was very hard to capture so low to horizon and bitterly cold with ice forming before tea last night.
Here's some shots from last night (18 July 2015) - comet, Moon & two planets is not something you see every day! The comet/Moon shot is a crop from the full frame - Canon 650D, 55mm lens, 4 x 10 sec, ISO 1600, F/5.6; 08:22, 18 July 2015 UT.
Visually C/2014 Q1 looked great through 10 x 50 binoculars despite the adjacent Moon. My estimate was m1 = 5.2.
Wow ! Nice pix.
All bad weather and clouds over here. I can't see that low to my western horizon from the Ob anyway. Might take the binos and a scope on the AZ3 up on top of Mt Albert, our backyard volcano for a look.
Am glad you labelled that image Dennis, I had found myself wiping my computer screen to get rid of the 'plane trail'.
Been clouded out here in Tassie, but looking good for tonight.
Thanks Liz – it was a busy night up there, with several aircraft making turns. Here is a composite of 8x30 sec exposures showing a lot of aerial activity.
Thanks Liz – it was a busy night up there, with several aircraft making turns. Here is a composite of 8x30 sec exposures showing a lot of aerial activity.
I think the aircraft were associated with a local strip at Toogoolawah, as their movements, tight turns and patterns indicated light aircraft rather than typical domestic or international movements.
You probably have driven past the strip on your way to/from Astrofest if you drive via Fernvale and Esk.
I think the aircraft were associated with a local strip at Toogoolawah, as their movements, tight turns and patterns indicated light aircraft rather than typical domestic or international movements.
You probably have driven past the strip on your way to/from Astrofest if you drive via Fernvale and Esk.
Visually it is 5th mag or fainter, so didn't show up in the finder. I traced the main tail to 1/2 to 3/4 deg, with a 8" Newt at low power. Followed it as it set behind a low hill. Here is a stack of 35 4sec exposures (no tripod) at f2.8 ISO 1000 with 50mm ziess T* 50mm lens on a Canon 40D. I used deep sky stacker. Bias and darks used. This is a small crop.
I popped outside last night and got some shots. rare cloudless sky http://www.astrobin.com/195871/
It is low on my horizon so might try again tonight and see if i can get better shots but am happy to have gotten it at least and hope to bring it out better when i get some time.
I never get bored with comets, its a bit of a lucky dip for me to get a camera pointed in the right area, get clear sky and get enough data to tease it out of the shot with a tail.
Great pics you guys, thank you so much for these, it's such a gorgeous comet isn't it.
Unfortunately, because of cloud here in Brisbane I haven't been able to observe it since my first look on the 18th. I was dodging cloud that day as well - only in the western sky, what are the chances , so by the time I got to see it, it was too low for my scope so only got a binocular view in my 10x60's but showed a lovely fan shape all the same. I'm enjoying all the pics in the meantime.
We got our last look here in Mackay on the 19th, its been clouded out since and won't clear (maybe) till the weekend. Managed to get the 10" newt onto it from the backyard but only managed a few 8 sec exposures before it went behind the trees.