C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) 24 January 2025

[OzEclipse]

We had another clear night here last night. I have a group of astronomy friends from Canberra staying for the weekend. After an early dinner we went to my western lookout point 6km from my house. I am on the east side of a hill. I have excellent views to the From the northeast around to the southeast for early morning comets and to the south for shooting aurora. But my west and SW outlook is not so good.

Three of my photos are attached. We could see 12 deg of tail naked eye, 15-16 deg with 15x70 binoculars. My camera field only had 10 deg along the tail so I don't have an estimate for photographic tail length.

Photos
1. Taken at the end of astronomical twilight stack of 22 frames.
2. Taken around the end of nautical twilight stack of 35 frames
3. Single frame taken around the end of nautical twilight with "dance of the Elon's"

Joe

[Saturnine]

Thanks again for posting your images of G3, am jealous at the length of the tail you could see. Also, was that just before the nucleus fell apart or just after. Still haven't had clear skies here to see the comet, yet !

[OzEclipse]

Hi Jeff,

It was taken last Friday night 24 January, some 5-6 days after the breakup on Sunday 19 January.

I have only had 4 clear nights out of nine nights since January 17. At this time of year I usually get about 70%+ clear nights so I would have expected 6-7 clear nights out of the past 9.

Cheers
Joe

[Leo.G]

Stunning shots as per usual Joe!
I had an old fellow in town just saying to me when I was down the local plaza 20 minutes ago a friend of his was trying to find the comet. I mentioned binoculars are good to locate it but he thought it was the street lighting causing the issues, possible if he's in town but we also have mountains directly west (and a lot of trees from my place) which I'm guessing is why I can't locate it from my place, that or I'm just too stupid.......
Plus we have a constant state of cloud locally, doesn't help and though it has been clear early AM on several nights it's also while I'm in bed sleeping (I notice when I go to the toilet through the night the sky is clear (through a toilet window, I don't use my yard)).


I had someone offer to pay me if I can get the planetary alignment locally but again, our skies are very clouded. I explained using a wide angle lens to try and get 5 or 6 planets in one image they will only be small bright dots, even tracked.
That's not how the media have made it look.

[OzEclipse]

Hi Leo,
Thanks for your kind words.

Comet
The comet is now quite high as twilight fades. The media have been telling people to go out just before sunrise and straight after sunset. I didn't note the time we first picked it up naked eye, perhaps 9:20pm but you definitely need to be away from streetlights and other stray lighting.

Planetary Alignment
At every opportunity, I have been telling people that the planets are not in physical 3D alignment. They are in optical alignment only as seen from Earth just as they are every day of every year. The Earth orbits, give or take a couple of degrees, in the same plane as all the other planets and the Moon. Viewed edge on, the planets are always in alignment.

However, if someone is silly enough to pay you to photograph it, why not lighten their pockets. :rofl:

cheers

Joe

[Leo.G]

Thanks yet again Joe, I've been out just after sunset because I haven't bothered tapping on Stellarium on my phone (I hate waving the stupid phone around to set the compass and can't really see the small, cracked screen on my old Samsung s8).
I believe the crap I see mentioned online despite what I know to be true, I guess that's a case of "who's the fool"?
Though I did get to see some stunning images of the southern lights taken by locals and shared on facepalm, during a night of continual cloud and rain. My camera isn't waterproof......

[Pierre_C]

It is nice seeing the evolution of this comet and learning from your techniques, Joe.
Thanks for sharing.