Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3

[Mick (Michael)]

Very nice images Kevin, I kinda knew you'd find a way even with a bung computer. I got up again this morning for a look and this time I managed to find fragment B.

[Smokey]

I received these links from an email list I,m on of the comet passing M57 and thought they are worthy of posting here.

I love the gif animation.
http://astronomy.qteaser.com/images/...animations.gif
http://astronomy.qteaser.com/images/57cometalmost.jpg

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

That is a brilliant animation

The still isn't too shabby either

Do you have any details on who captured it and how?

[Smokey]

All I know is that it they were taken by someone on a yahoo amateur astronomer group. He goes by the name Markqteaser. No other details are known.

[fringe_dweller]

Pretty darn surreal eh Craig
This mysterious Mark posted it on yahoo cometchasing as well, all he says there is..
"For the 1s who missed this great event here is an animation i put
together so you can almost feel like you were there
This is 23 1.5 minute subframes as the comet passes by M57
Enjoy
Mark"
I went through his site, his full name doesnt appear anywhere ... pretty modest dude!? Anyway that is one sweeet capture :-))
PS seen some reports that fragment B just had yet another significant outburst and is now maybe at 6th mag!
PPS Kevin, did you see the posted on comets-ml, close-up of fragment B showing breakup, taken with the mintron
by Hartwig Luethen
"Just did stack the images of P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 from Mai 4-5.
Used a Celestron 8, focal length reduced to about 900mm using a
binocular lens. Camera: Mintron, video recorded on Camcorder for 10-15
minutes. Images stacked with Fitswork."
http://home.tiscali.de/astrohardy/mi...mentb_2000.jpg
awesome - I'm very impressed :-))

[CometGuy]

Did anyone catch component B this morning? I woke 2:30pm and was stunned to see that B has brightened more than a magnitude from the previous morning and is now mag 5! Very nice bright object with an obvious tail and I could even see it with the naked eye looking back over brisbane.

Terry

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Where abouts is B now?

I might even be tempted to get my bones out of bed for that.

[h0ughy (David)]

Originally Posted by CometGuy

Did anyone catch component B this morning? I woke 2:30pm and was stunned to see that B has brightened more than a magnitude from the previous morning and is now mag 5! Very nice bright object with an obvious tail and I could even see it with the naked eye looking back over brisbane.

Terry

I admit I was too tired and missed it, but now we are being clouded out . will try to look

[CometGuy]

Tommorrow morning B will be 5 degrees east of Vega. Its changes appearance from night to night, a really amazing object. C will be on the Cygnus/Vulpecula border.

Moon sets around 4am so that will be the time to see it.

Terry

[fringe_dweller]

Onya Terry, I was wondering if any one bothered to have a look to see what I was missing
Been mostly blanket clouded out/raining here for at last a week and a half or more now clearing for moon now of course - we had to cancel an imaging trip north due to freaky weather the other day (same weather that made Virgin cancel all adelaide flights for the day! - it was like out of the day after tomorrow - big freeze LOL)

How's some of the close-up images of B and its jets from this outburst, on the net not tempted to crack out the Tak astrograph/monachrome CCD? :-) I miss the images you used to get with that beast/combo - not that I dont love the widefields just as much - will never forget the WM1 shot(s) :-))))

[iceman (Mike)]

OMG just look at this SW/M57 pic by Stefan Seip from Germany.

Stefan is one of the worlds best astrophotographers. His website is http://www.photomeeting.de/astromeeting/_index.htm

Here's the comet/M57 pic.

http://www.spaceweather.com/swpod2006/08may06/seip1.jpg

[gaa_ian (Ian)]

We have some great Astrophotographers on this site, but Stephan takes the cake. That is Awesome !!!
I only wish I could have see the comet myself this morning, these clouds must lift eventually !

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

clouds

[fringe_dweller]

How about the spitzer shot http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/Media...2006-13a.shtml

[iceman (Mike)]

Nice!

Check out this one from Stefan, taking on a 1-metre telescope with an SBIG camera.

http://www.photomeeting.de/astromeet...pic_comets.htm

It's the 4th one (first shot on the second row).

[middy]

Originally Posted by iceman

Nice!

Check out this one from Stefan, taking on a 1-metre telescope with an SBIG camera.

http://www.photomeeting.de/astromeet...pic_comets.htm

It's the 4th one (first shot on the second row).

Wow, his site is full of eye-popping pictures. The 3-D comet is good if you can see those type of pictures.

[fringe_dweller]

Yep Stefan is one of the best - I would love to have his budget/lifestyle
seems flying to anywhere on earth for a photo-op is not out of his reach - he took THE Machholz/Pleiades shot IMO during that campaign/apparition (and that was up against a LOT of competition) - he even comes south and steals/cherry picks our comets at will nothings sacred

[CometGuy]

Kearn,

Sadly, the Tak and CCD get little use these days just too much setup time and too small field of view. Anyway, I am busy trying to find a comet of my own these days..so its 2 cameras and wide angle lenses doing duty on the mount.

Got another look at the comet this morning, and its lost a little bit of punch since since yesterday but still very nice.

Yeh stefan's images are great aren't they!

Terry

[fringe_dweller]

Fair enough Terry, I was getting carried away a bit there - its not like 73P's not getting very much coverage I guess LOL
woah! TWO!! dslr's going now for the survey! I didnt know that, It can't be long until were all chasing the first Comet Lovejoy, I suspect :-))))
I tips my hat to you sir!

[gaa_ian (Ian)]

Well I will be setting the alarm for 4am to have another crack at this, from what i can tell the B & C fragments are equally as bright ?