M45 and 46P

[Mickoid]

Based on a narrow band of clear sky occurring at around 10.00pm last night, I knew this would be my last window of opportunity from here in Melbourne to catch comet Wirtanen 46P.

Despite it's brightness, this has been a disappointing object, with the tail obscured behind the head of the comet, it has failed to excite the observer. As it is quickly travelling north, it will soon be too low to photograph, even if it does decide to show a tail. Adding to that, the waxing moon is washing out the darkness from the sky.

This shot, taken from the outskirts of Melbourne, suffers from a combination of mild light pollution and a waxing moon, post first quarter, which has sucked out the colour. It consists of 30 sec @ f 5.6 and 60 sec @ f 8 exposures at 1600 iso, through the Sigma 50 - 200mm apo lens at 200mm on a modded Canon 550d mounted to a Sightron Nano Tracker which captured 46 P approaching the M45 cluster.

The close up was taken on the 11th of December through a Tamron 500mm mirror lens @ f 8, 1600 iso and Canon 550d mounted on an HEQ5pro EQ mount. It was produced with a stack of 5 x 2min subs in DSS registered on the comet's nucleus.

[xelasnave]

I would be happy with that.
I think the thing with comets is to get something anything to recall the occassion.
Good work.
Alex

[raymo]

Wow! your tracking is amazing, good job in adverse conditions.
raymo

[RyanJones]

Nice work Michael although I'd have to disagree with the disappointment. I found it quite special to view when I took my photos of it last week. I'm not usually into imaging anything within the solar system but this one captured my attention. Each to their own though. I love your capture of M45 with 46p, especially the soft whisps in M45. :thumbsup:

[mental4astro]

Lovely piece, Michael :) That faint nebulosity is such a tease!

46P has also been a bit of a 3D revelation for me. Not much of a tail, sure, but the reason for this is what actually makes it fascinating! We are just about viewing the comet barreling in towards its perihelion head-on! A very unique geometric angle-come-apparition :) . The orbital position of both comet & Earth timed this apparition to provide a reminder that things in space are happening in 3 dimensions. Sure we know this is the case, but every now and then it's these little line of sight coincidences spice things up again.

I viewed 46P from a dark site last new Moon through a 17.5" dob - HUGE sucker! It's coma more than a whole degree in diameter! Wee tail was difficult to spot, but at the same time this apparition made for the focus to be entirely about a comet's coma, and not just about its tail :) And in astronomical terms, 46P came in REALLY close to us! O.075AU!! Just about reach out and touch it :lol:

46P is not a particularly spectacular comet - short period comets never are except for Halley's. But this little beastie has made its own imact this time around :thumbsup:

Alex.

[Mickoid]

OK guys, thanks for the comments, point taken and understandable, I just compare it to the last three comets I'd viewed and photographed. Who could forget comet McNaught? Large and spectacular, comet Hale Bopp, bright, with a significant tail and of course Halley's comet, not as spectacular as it's 1910 apparition but still a wonderful sight.

Interestingly, Halley, when at it's closest to the earth in 1986, was a similar view to 46P and most people at that time found it uninteresting to look at, being mislead by the media of the day who announced this was the best time to view it. The comet too, was heading straight at us at that time and the tail was hidden from view behind it. Had people viewed it weeks earlier, the tail was very evident.

Like Ryan says, each to their own. The northern hemisphere may get some nice views of it after full moon as it heads back away from us, perhaps with a tail visible.

[mental4astro]

I missed McNaught... :sad::sad::sad: Silly me was too interested in chasing skirt at the time :rolleyes: I can't be too harsh on myself though. I ended up marrying this lass, and we have two great kids. Worth the price of admission in missing McNaught :)

Halley's was my first comet. I saw it with its whispy tail with my 2" Tasco refractor from my home in Sydney! Was my first ever astro sketch too. I've lost that piece - oh the heartache! :sadeyes::sadeyes:

Mike, please don't take my words too hard! They are not meant to be hard, nor to hurt, especially as you shared your precious work with us here! For this I am very grateful mate! :thumbsup: I certainly can understand your sentiments for 46P's disappointment. My words are entirely designed to give a different point of view on this event - looking at the silver lining out of this! :D Can be very easy to dismiss some events as non-events, but miss the quirk in the occasion.

Alex.

[Mickoid]

No offense taken by what you said Alex, you are a wise man! :thumbsup: