Comet 217P/ Linear has a tail!

[Outbackmanyep]

Hi all!
I observed 217P this morning from Walcha aerodrome and its showing a nice dusty tail, about 8' long to the WSW. More details to come! It's a nice bright (mag 9-10) object for those with dark skies!

Cheers!:)

[Moon]

This is great news!

[astroron]

I observed Comet C/217P Linear early this morning:)small with a tail of about 15' long and about mag 9 or so.
I enjoyed the view, but i think it will take a scope of 8" or more to see clearly.
Thanks for the notification:thumbsup:
I was also able to see to see Comet C/22p Kopff small round with a bright centre fainter around edges, this Comet seems to have been around for ever:)
I always have a look for it when I get the chance:D
Comet C/2006 W3 Christenson makes a fine sight high in the sky in Saggitta in the early night sky:)

[Outbackmanyep]

Good onya Ron! :thumbsup:

Heres a sketch i did of 217P on the morning of the 24th at 4am, you should give sketching comets a go, you'd be surprised how much your eye "see's" things better than photographs......

Heres some comet obs i did on the 23rd/24th Aug.

88P/ Howell
2009 August 23.37 UT; m1= 9.2; Dia= 8’; DC= 4; 25cm L, f:5 (x39)
No tail, moonlight, slight hazy clouds at time of obs, coma elongated slightly to North.
Comp Star= TYC 6139-428-1; Method= S; Cat= TJ

C/2008 Q3 Garradd
2009 August 23.37 UT; m1= 9.1; Dia= 7’; DC= 3; 25cm L, f:5 (x39)
No tail, moonlight, coma quite faint.
Comp Star= TYC 293-30-1; Method= S; Cat= TJ


C/2006 W3 Christensen
2009 August 23.38 UT; m1= 7.8; Dia= 8’; DC= 6; 25cm L, f:5 (x39)
Coma slightly elongated to the North North-East.
Comp Star= TYC 1617-28-1; Method= S; Cat= TJ

2009 August 23.43 UT; m1= 7.8; Dia= 5’; DC= 3; 7x50 B
No tail.
Comp Star= TYC 1621-78-1; Method= S; Cat= TJ


22P/ Kopff
2009 August 23.44 UT; m1= 10.2; Dia= 8’; DC= 6; 25cm L, f:5 (x39)
No tail, central condensation small but sharply defined pseudo nucleus, with faint outer coma.
Comp Star= TYC 5819-558-1; Method= S; Cat= TJ

217P/ Linear
2009 August 23.75 UT; m1= 9.7; Dia= 4’; DC= 6; 25cm L, f:5 (x39)
Coma shows tight central condensation, slightly elongated to WSW, with tail extending in WSW direction and 8’ in length. The tail fans out gradually and has a bright central bar extending from the pseudo nucleus about a third of the tail in width and almost the full length of the tail extension. The other two thirds of the width of the tail are fainter but noticeable either side of the central portion of the tail. I could only trace 8’ of tail in length.
Comp Star= TYC 4719-1123-1; Method= S; Cat= TJ



Cheers! :thumbsup:

[astroron]

Thanks for your post of the Comets:) I don't have Howell in my data base, but will rectify that soon:)
What scope and eyepieces used and magnification?
Cheers:thumbsup:

[Outbackmanyep]

Hi Ron!
I'll tell you how to decipher the below details of the scope etc so you can work out other observers details from comets-ml yahoo group if you wish to check up on other comets! Its quite easy!
For example:

88P/ Howell
2009 August 23.37 UT; m1= 9.2; Dia= 8’; DC= 4; 25cm L, f:5 (x39)


The time is given in decimal days and m1= estimated magnitude.
25cm L = 25cm Newtonian (L being the standard letter denoting a Newtonian. B= Binoculars, T= Schmidt-Cassegrain, E= Naked eye, R= Refractor, A= Camera lens)
It gives the F ratio - f:5
and magnification of (x39)
For me to get a magnification of x39 with an f/5 10" newtonian/dob i use my 32mm Plossl.
It's always a good measure to use the LOWEST power possible for comets as image brightness is the key to help detect the extremities of the outer coma for diameter measurements, ie: Dia= 8', if you went to a higher power the image brightness dims and you lose the faint outer edges which lessens the accuracy of your measurement.

The scope is an extension of your eye, and all measurements would ideally be taken using your naked eye but in most cases this is not possible, so using the smallest instrument possible you can make more accurate magnitude estimates. If you notice on my observation of W3 Christensen i also tried it with 7x50 Binoculars as it was bright enough to be observed with binoculars.

I hope this helps! any more questions by all means ask away! :D:thumbsup:

[Enchilada]

Nice. Thanks for the heads-up Ron. Interesting to see any new changes in the coma or tail over the next week or so. :thumbsup:

[astroron]

Thanks , But I admit to a fau par, I didn't read your observations thoroughly enough:rolleyes: the detail was there all along in front of my eyes:(

[Outbackmanyep]

Yeah, it's sometimes easy to skip through all the mumbo jumbo and not realise that it all means something! It happened to me before i even got into this! You should read the format for MPC data, it's confusing beyond anything!!! :)

[Swanssm]

;)
It has a tail indeed.
This morning .....my Obs.

I had it at Magnitude 10.8 with a Pinpoint Solve in Maxim DL there were no known AAVSO Comparison stars near by.

The position was plotted in Astrometrica (which had it somewhat darker in the R band).

217P C2009 08 26.75348 03 49 59.73 -03 11 43.7 14.05R D90
217P C2009 08 26.75433 03 49 59.90 -03 11 45.5 13.78R D90
217P C2009 08 26.75519 03 50 00.16 -03 11 46.0 13.21R D90
217P C2009 08 26.75603 03 50 00.30 -03 11 46.0 13.70R D90

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_pVwx6ExC-6Q/SpWtpp5rI5I/AAAAAAAAACk/dEsvDZxcpmo/s1600-h/Comet217PLinear0826_1.jpg

Enjoy.
Peter
http://aartscope.blogspot.com/2009/08/comet-217plinear.html

[Liz]

Thanks for all that info guys :)
With 217P having a tail, does it make it a bit easier to spot in the eyepiece. Instead of just seeing a maybe fuzzy 'star' - with a tail it would make it a bit more obvious??
Tried for Kopff last week, but no luck.
Thankyou OBM re eyepiece - i think I usually use higher mag ones, so try another less mag.

[Outbackmanyep]

Hi Liz,
If you're looking to find 22P it's nearby a bright star in Aquarius, it has a nicely condensed pseudo nucleus and the outer coma is faint but large.
Im sure you'll find it with a low power eyepiece. One trick i use to find fuzzies is very similar to finding faint galaxies where you tap the scope gently and watch what wobbles in the field of view.
Might help, are you under dark skies or suburban skies???

[Outbackmanyep]

Nice image Peter, VERY nice! :thumbsup:

[Liz]

Had a look this am, but neighbours decided it was a good idea to leave the outdoor lights on all night!! So no luck, as scope set up close to damn lights .... checked out Orion Neb - gorgeous in new/2nd hand Nagler 17mm, and Mars with M35 - supherb.

Did try for Kopff 2 nights ago - found exact spot where should be, but La Luna washing things out a bit.

[mozzie]

spotted linear this morning moon setting still nice view a little dull but a definate tail great sight.is it expected to brighten in time?
mozzie

[mozzie]

wow moonshine nearly gone and the comet really stands out nice tail
mozzie