Comments on: Comet C/2006 M4 Swan http://www.raben.com/weblog/2006/09/27/comet-c2006-m4-swan/ Occasional observations about astronomy, astrophotography, and software Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:02:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Vern http://www.raben.com/weblog/2006/09/27/comet-c2006-m4-swan/#comment-1803 Vern Fri, 29 Sep 2006 01:24:58 +0000 http://www.raben.com/weblog/2006/09/27/comet-c2006-m4-swan/#comment-1803 I should note that the comet is now being reported as mag 7. Didn't seem that bright to me, but I didn't have a clear sky -- I was observing through cloud layers. I should have some good views of it this weekend. The comet is quite condensed so the core is small which helps. I should note that the comet is now being reported as mag 7. Didn’t seem that bright to me, but I didn’t have a clear sky — I was observing through cloud layers. I should have some good views of it this weekend. The comet is quite condensed so the core is small which helps.

]]> By: Vern http://www.raben.com/weblog/2006/09/27/comet-c2006-m4-swan/#comment-1801 Vern Fri, 29 Sep 2006 00:36:15 +0000 http://www.raben.com/weblog/2006/09/27/comet-c2006-m4-swan/#comment-1801 With the Stellacam II and 11 inch scope, 8th magnitude is very bright! This is a not an easy comet to spot, you'll probably need 80mm aperature or more I suspect. The comet is quite low the horizon as well so there is a time factor. From here in Colorado, about 5:20 to 5:35am is ideal. Much earlier its lost in the muck, much later and the sky is too bright. Good luck! Weather is looking great for us this weekend. Moon sets just before 11pm Friday, so we'll should get about 6 hours in dark, clear skies. I'm getting scope packed up now for a 2 1/2 hour drive to the <a href="http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/CctsFltsNCOkey.html?1" rel="nofollow">Pawnee Grasslands</a> tomorrow afternoon. With the Stellacam II and 11 inch scope, 8th magnitude is very bright! This is a not an easy comet to spot, you’ll probably need 80mm aperature or more I suspect. The comet is quite low the horizon as well so there is a time factor. From here in Colorado, about 5:20 to 5:35am is ideal. Much earlier its lost in the muck, much later and the sky is too bright. Good luck!

Weather is looking great for us this weekend. Moon sets just before 11pm Friday, so we’ll should get about 6 hours in dark, clear skies. I’m getting scope packed up now for a 2 1/2 hour drive to the Pawnee Grasslands tomorrow afternoon.

]]> By: peter http://www.raben.com/weblog/2006/09/27/comet-c2006-m4-swan/#comment-1800 peter Thu, 28 Sep 2006 23:04:33 +0000 http://www.raben.com/weblog/2006/09/27/comet-c2006-m4-swan/#comment-1800 With averted vision I can see the tail pull away in the one o'clock direction ;^D I didn't know about this comet, I'll have to see if it's do-able from here. The nucleus appears very bright. Is it because of 15 minutes "exposure"? --peter With averted vision I can see the tail pull away in the one o’clock direction ;^D
I didn’t know about this comet, I’ll have to see if it’s do-able from here. The nucleus appears very bright. Is it because of 15 minutes “exposure”?
–peter

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