Go Back   IceInSpace > Equipment > Software and Computers

Reply
 
Thread Tools Rate Thread
  #1  
Old 08-04-2016, 12:38 AM
StuTodd
Registered User

StuTodd is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Dunedin, New Zealand
Posts: 353
Angry Planetarium Comets gripe...

My predicament is this.

I write the Dunedin Astro Society newsletter and like to give the members accurate info regarding cometary magnitudes, in particular.

I use C2A for my charts and data but (noted recently with comet 252P/LINEAR), the real life data is nowhere near that of the software, even with fresh updates fetched from the MPC!
My C2A was so bad, it noted a magnitude of 11.2 for the comet, but it is reportedly visible by naked eye

Am I doing anything wrong? Surely the MPC updates its ephemerides day by day. Positionally, C2A is spot on but the mag is hit and miss.

Any thoughts??

Stu
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-04-2016, 09:17 AM
Merlin66's Avatar
Merlin66 (Ken)
Registered User

Merlin66 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Junortoun Vic
Posts: 8,927
Stu,
Don't know the answer to your planetarium question, but I would recommend the Comet Chasing website for current comet info:
http://cometchasing.skyhound.com/
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-04-2016, 09:58 AM
SteveInNZ
Registered User

SteveInNZ is offline
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Auckland, NZ
Posts: 239
I use Seiichi Yoshida's pages. Click on the comet of interest and you'll get the elements, a simple path plot and brightness predictions with real observed brightness points included. His predictions are usually spot on.

Having said that, 252P/Linear is unusual in that it's brightened much more than was predicted.

Steve.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-04-2016, 11:22 AM
StuTodd
Registered User

StuTodd is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Dunedin, New Zealand
Posts: 353
Thanks Ken and Steve.

I will use those links you provided, nice to get some accurate data!
It is frustrating when the data from MPC etc are wrong though.

Stu
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +10. The time is now 08:50 PM.

Powered by vBulletin Version 3.8.7 | Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Advertisement
Bintel
Advertisement