Is there a comet currently in Scorpius?

[M54 (Molly)]

Hi all,

I was out looking at Scorpius early this morning and I saw what I thought was a faint globular cluster, but I couldn't find any mention of it on my star chart, which isn't a very detailed one.

After a bit of research on google this morning, I still can't find any mention of it.
So I thought it might be a comet?

I was between M7 and Shaula (Lambda Sco.) close to a star.
Could this be a comet, and if so is it a known one???

I hope it's not cloudy tonight so I can check it again, and do a sketch.
I should have done a sketch this morning, that'll teach me!

Ta, Molly.

[astroron (Ron)]

Originally Posted by M54

Hi all,

I was out looking at Scorpius early this morning and I saw what I thought was a faint globular cluster, but I couldn't find any mention of it on my star chart, which isn't a very detailed one.

After a bit of research on google this morning, I still can't find any mention of it.
So I thought it might be a comet?

I was between M7 and Shaula (Lambda Sco.) close to a star.
Could this be a comet, and if so is it a known one???

I hope it's not cloudy tonight so I can check it again, and do a sketch.
I should have done a sketch this morning, that'll teach me!

Ta, Molly.

Hi Molly
NGC6441 is a mag 7.8 Globular Cluster close to a 3.1 mag star slightly south of M7
and between Shaula
What size scope are you using
I hope this helps
Cheers

[Astroman (Andrew Wall)]

Yep that would be NGC 6441 as Ron had stated...

Here is a not too good image I took of it. through my 8" f6 scope.
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/a...se.php?a=30952

[M54 (Molly)]

Originally Posted by astroron

Hi Molly
NGC6441 is a mag 7.8 Globular Cluster close to a 3.1 mag star slightly south of M7
and between Shaula
What size scope are you using
I hope this helps
Cheers

Hi Ron,

Thanks for your reply.

I have a 5" reflector.
I think NGC 6441 is probably it. It looked like if you drew a line between M7 and Shaula it was roughly along this line, but my finder was a bit out so it was not easy to tell it's exact position.
I'll have another look tomorrow morning if the clouds permit.

Thanks again.

[M54 (Molly)]

Thanks Andrew.
Nice photo!
It looks pretty much like it, except my view was fainter and fuzzier.

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by M54

Thanks Andrew.
Nice photo!
It looks pretty much like it, except my view was fainter and fuzzier.

You can get Stellarium or CdC or C2A to show you that bit of sky for a similar time. From looking at them I find:

NGC6441 (4' from SAO 209318) is more on a line from M7 to Kappa Sco or i1 Sco than to Shaula.

NGC6400 (1.7 deg from SAO 209172) is closer to your line but is 1.5 magnitudes dimmer.

They all fall into a circle radius about 3 deg centred on NGC6441.

Scorpio is a busy piece of sky, so being sure you have the right one can be hard.

Andrew

[M54 (Molly)]

Originally Posted by mithrandir

You can get Stellarium or CdC or C2A to show you that bit of sky for a similar time. From looking at them I find:

NGC6441 (4' from SAO 209318) is more on a line from M7 to Kappa Sco or i1 Sco than to Shaula.

NGC6400 (1.7 deg from SAO 209172) is closer to your line but is 1.5 magnitudes dimmer.

They all fall into a circle radius about 3 deg centred on NGC6441.

Scorpio is a busy piece of sky, so being sure you have the right one can be hard.

Andrew

I have stellarium, but just discovered I didn't have the 'nebula' switch turned on.

NGC 6400 looks more like the position I had, but as I said, my finder was a little off, so going by the fact that 6441 has a star close, I think this is what it was. I'll properly align my finder before I look again. I had it on another scope and forgot to re align it when I put it back on the 5".

Thanks Andrew.

[Liz]

How exciting that would have been to discover a comet Molly!!!

Alas, no viewable comets around at the moment. All outa my reach, waaay too faint.

Bring on Comet Molly.

[M54 (Molly)]

Yes Liz, it certainly would be!

It makes me think that comet hunting wouldn't be a bad pastime.

But I think I need a bigger scope for that.

[Suzy]

Hi Molly,

NGC 6441 is one of my favourite globs. On a good clear night, when it's up nice and high enough, in suburbia you can spot it naked eye.
Hubby came home one night, ran out out of the car practically, to retrieve me outside, as he could see it and had to know what it was. Binos showed it up as a glob. This is when we first discovered Scorpio last year. I had a bit of trouble finding the catalogue no for this glob as none of my maps at the time had it. And one of the other reasons I love it so much is I keep getting it in my scope when I'm not even trying to. Its so little, yet so tight and bright.

Edit: I've been informed by a good friend of mine, that seeing this visually naked eye may have been confused with the clusters M6 & M7 that reside right next to this glob as this glob is very dim to the naked eye (mag.7) We still saw the glob all the same, but the cluster seems to be what we saw naked eye. Apologies for the confusion.
By the way, NGC 6441 is one of only four globs that houses a planetary nebula!!!

[Astroman (Andrew Wall)]

Originally Posted by M54

Yes Liz, it certainly would be!

It makes me think that comet hunting wouldn't be a bad pastime.

But I think I need a bigger scope for that.

You don't need a big scope to find comets Justin Tilbrook (finder of 2 comets) used an 8" f/6 scope. And Bill Bradfield (finder of 18 comets) used a 6" Refractor, to find many of his comets... You just have to be looking in the right spot at the right time

[Robh (Rob)]

Hi Molly, Suzy and all,

The star that the globular NGC 6441 appears to sit next to is G Scorpii, mag 3.2, spectral type K2. It is actually listed in my Night Sky Objects for Southern Observers. I included a number of globulars and galaxies near relatively bright stars after having done a search for them. Another nice one is the globular NGC 5286 near M Centauri, mag 4.6, spectral type G9.

Regards, Rob