Comet C/2009 P1 Garradd

[Liz]

Found this little fellow this am, yeah!!
Is presently about mag 9.5 and brightening, but is quite easy to find as large, fan shaped and fuzzy.
This comet was disciovered by Aussie Gordon Garradd at Siding Springs in 2009. It has been slowly brightening, and will continue to brighten throughout the year and into 2012. It is predicted to reach naked eye visibility, fingers crossed. Sporting 2 dust tails in images (not mine).
It can be found in Pegasus, and quite high in the sky (for FNQ) at 4am.
Pop it into Stellarium if ya havent already.

http://cometchasing.skyhound.com/comets/2009_P1.pdf

[firstlight (Tony)]

Thanks Liz... I might try to keep an eye on this in the next few weeks at least.

[Lester]

Good catch of the comet Liz. Looking forward to a comet with a tail again.

[Liz]

Thank you Tony and Lester.
I know what you mean Lester, i am looking forward to this one getting quite a bit brighter, and having a nice visible tail.

[Paddy (Patrick)]

Well done Liz. And the photo sits nicely beside your piccies in the solar system imaging forum. I'll put it on me list!

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Oooohh could be one for Astrofest! Thanks Liz! Great catch it is too.

Details Liz, details! Camera? ISO? Exposure? Lens/scope? f/???

[Liz]

This is a great comet Paddy and Paul, and is only going to get better and brighter. We will be inundated with image over the next 6 months!!

Pic was taken with Canon 450D on tripod, 17mm, ISO 1600 for about 35 sec. Glad to get a pic in before the experts take over.

Gordon Garradd works with Rob McNaught, what a pair!!

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

You'll still have it over us for a while yet Liz (well a fortnight anyway ) with the better latitude.

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

Given the current orbital elements we'll lose it in late October, when it will only be up in daytime. Times are AEST. Figures for Sydney.

C/2009 P1 (Garradd)
    Date    Time     R.A.         Decl.        r       d       m1     Rise(A)     Set(A)
2011- 7-12   3:07  22 28  6.81    5 39 38.5   2.648   1.913    9.8   21:19(262)  8:50( 96)
2011- 7-19   2:26  22 13 55.22    7 50 29.5   2.581   1.766    9.6   20:43(260)  8:03( 99)
2011- 7-26   1:40  21 56  9.07   10  8 14.4   2.515   1.638    9.3   20:03(257)  7:11(102)
2011- 8- 2   0:51  21 34 35.48   12 28  5.0   2.449   1.533    9.1   19:20(254)  6:15(105)
2011- 8- 9  23:50  21  5 38.11   15  0  5.1   2.374   1.447    8.8   18:34(251)  5:16(107)
2011- 8-16  22:54  20 37 29.61   16 55  0.9   2.310   1.404    8.6   17:44(249)  4:15(110)
2011- 8-23  21:58  20  8 16.75   18 23 31.8   2.246   1.391    8.5   16:52(247)  3:14(112)
2011- 8-30  21:02  19 39 46.65   19 21 15.1   2.184   1.406    8.4   15:59(246)  2:15(113)
2011- 9- 6  20:08  19 13 35.34   19 50  5.1   2.123   1.446    8.4   15:06(245)  1:19(114)
2011- 9-13  19:18  18 50 42.93   19 56 29.4   2.063   1.504    8.4   14:16(245)  0:28(114)
2011- 9-20  19:12  18 31 26.70   19 48 12.2   2.005   1.576    8.3   13:29(245) 23:35(114)
2011- 9-27  19:18  18 15 46.54   19 32 19.8   1.949   1.655    8.3   12:45(246) 22:53(113)
2011-10- 4  19:23  18  3 21.62   19 14 35.3   1.895   1.736    8.3   12:04(246) 22:14(113)
2011-10-11  19:30  17 53 42.71   18 58 56.9   1.843   1.816    8.3   11:26(246) 21:38(113)
2011-10-18  19:38  17 46 21.13   18 47 52.8   1.795   1.891    8.3   10:51(247) 21:03(112)
2011-10-25  19:44  17 40 51.88   18 43  1.8   1.750   1.959    8.3   10:17(247) 20:31(112)

Andrew

[wayne anderson (Wayne)]

Thanks Liz for reminding me to keep a look out for Comet C/2009 P1 Garradd, we recently moved from the NSW central coast to a much darker sky at Peachester QLD, i have only had the scope out a few times but now we are settled in to the new home i am looking forward to the great night views from this area.

[stephenb (Stephen)]

Thanks for the heads up, Liz :and nice shot :

[CometGuy]

Nicely done Liz

I managed to get a view of the comet on July 9 in 15x70 binoculars. Wasn't too much to look at in my somewhat light polluted sky, but pointing the scope to it with camera attached easily revealed the 2 short tails.

Its certainly doing OK this comet and should be quite interesting as it continues to brighten and glides thru Delphinus next month.

Terry

[DavidU (Dave)]

Nice image there Terry.

[stephenb (Stephen)]

Good one, Terry.

[Liz]

Great to see 2 tails there Terry!!

[CometGuy]

Well had a good look at this one visually, its fairly easy to see in binoculars now. Here is my sketch.

[CometGuy]

Here is my image made at the same time (20 x 1min exposures with QHY9 + C8 f2.1).

[Liz]

Very nice Terry!!
I havent had a chance for a look of late, but look forward to when I do.

[mozzie (Peter)]

thanks liz,there's 3 comets i'm going to chase at astrofest with dark skies and 180deg views

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by stopusinmyid

How do I add it into Stellarium?

If you don't have 0.10.6 upgrade. Adding entries to ssystem.ini by hand will cause you to quickly reduce the quantity of your cranial hair.

Once you have Stellarium 0.10.6:
<F2>
Plugins
Solar System Editor - if "Load at startup" is NOT ticked, tick it, go back to "Main", click "Save settings", exit Stellarium, restart and come back to Solar System Editor.
click "configure"
"Solar System"

If C/2009 P1 is not in the list of objects:

"Import orbital ..."
"Comets" radio button
"Download ..." radio button
"Select bookmark" - by default there is only one to choose
"Get ..."

"Update ..."
"Only orbital ..." - I tick this.
"Mark all" or just the ones that interest you. C/2009 P1 should be in the list.
"Add objects"

Close all the config windows and you are done. You can select it as the target with <F3> and typing the name.

If it wasn't in the list, you could click the "Online search" tab, type the name in upper case - lower does not work, it has to match MPC's database - and click the magnifying glass.

Andrew