Morning comets Nov2013

[krichter]

Anyone out observing or imaging the host of morning comets in the sky now? I've been setting my alarm regularly and waking up to clouds!
This is a great opportunity - four comets that should be visible in binocs (maybe small scope). This is a rare opportunity we need to take advantage of it!
I will update this as soon as I get out. Anyone else who observes/images please post a reply!

See: http://cometchasing.skyhound.com/

Thanks

[krichter]

Just an fyi - I checked my skytools 3 for the estimated magnitude of these comets for tomorrow morning - it does estimate them daily from its updates.
It appears two of them might be naked eye with the right conditions and good eyes!

It looks like Linear has dropped off the list for small scopes (it was mag 8 a few days ago!). If you snooze you lose!

Comet Mag Nov 12
Encke 5.3
Lovejoy 5.3
Ison 7.2
Linear 13.3

Clear skies!

[merle]

I will be at ELO Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning to try for the comets.

Lovejoy (C/2013 R1), rises at 10:19 pm
Linear (C/2012 X1), rises at 3:20 am
ISON (C/2012 S1), rises at 3:30
2P/Encke, rises at 4:52

Altitude at 5:30 am...
Lovejoy 69 deg.
Linear 21 deg.
ISON 19 deg.
Encke 6 deg.

Magnitude (from Heaven's above):
Lovejoy 10.8
Linear 12.6
ISON 12.1
Encke 12.7


Magnitude (from IAU Minor Planet Center):
Lovejoy 8.7
Linear 13.4
ISON 8.5
Encke 5.5

Magnitude (according to Starry Night Pro):
Lovejoy 8.6
Linear 13.3
ISON 8.6
Encke 5.4

Elements and Ephemeris ((from IAU Minor Planet Center):
Lovejoy
Linear
ISON
Encke


Merle

[MarkC]

I caught Comet Lovejoy this AM from the Otter Lake boat launch (35E and Co Rd J). There were hazy clouds preventing any shot at ISON. I'll post the photo tonight if I get to it.

Mark

I barely caught the comet in an initial test image. Missed on the other photos by inaccurately reading the star chart.

F7.1, 30s, iso1600, 70mm

[defalkner]

Weather permitting (and it doesn't look too bad right now) I plan on going to Belwin to observe morning comets on Saturday morning. I'm hoping the view to the East-Southeast is fairly dark and this will be one of the last mornings without the Moon interfering in the eastern sky.

I'm going to observe with binoculars next to the observation tower east of the Belwin Education Center. I plan to arrive around 5 AM to get some observing in prior to astronomical twilight, which begins at 5:28. I might try to take some pictures as well.

Anyone who is interested is welcome to join me.

[bkerr]

Lovejoy was a nice object in my 10x30IS around 5:00 11/12 am. ISON low in east sky glow and thin cloud cover. Will try with 8" tomorrow am.

bob

[merle]

I got five comets last night and this morning.

LINEAR C/2012 X1 - image from video 6:00 pm
Brewington 154P - video only (no pict. yet)
Lovejoy C/2013 R1 - 5:23 am (4 min, ISO 800)
ISON C/2012 S1 - 5:42 am (2 min, ISO 800)
Encke 2P - 6:01 am (1 min, ISO 800)

Used C14 on imaging platform for video. Photos of Lovejoy, ISON and Encke were taken with the SV152 on the visual platform and a Canon 20D.

Since I can only attach 3 images, I'll wait until I get a better Linear picture before I send one.

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[Steve Baranski]

Nice job Merle, Thanks for sharing!

[MarkC]

I agree - very nice photos.

[krichter]

Awesome - yes please include other photos! I did go out yesterday morning just here in Eden Prairie up on a bluff with may small refractor - it was a cold one! I only got comet lovejoy -which was fairly bright and very nice. I saw it easily in my 6X30 finder. Unfortunately the rest of the low eastern sky was cloudy and light polluted so I never did see the others.

[Enberg]

Dave and others,

The best observing spot to the east/southeast that is "in-bounds" for us at Belwin is from the road, along the hill between the lower parking lot and the turn-off to the upper lot, and positioned to put your target between the trees. We are not "allowed" out of the road or onto the base of the tower. Because the road is not flat, I have found a tripod with adjustable legs works really well as each leg will be a different length to get your mount level. I may join you Saturday morning!

Nancy

[magneton]

Congrats, Merle, on 5 comets in one night. I had hopes for 4 this morning, but got 2 of them - Lovejoy and ISON. Lovejoy was an easy binocular target as well.

The following photos were on the TMB130 at Casby, 1600 ISO, 2 minutes on my Canon Xsi.

Lovejoy:

Lovejoy_2013_11_13_0057reduced.jpg

ISON:

2013_11_13_ISON_0064reduced.jpg

[MarkC]

Those are very nice also. Lets hope for more clear skies allowing for viewing these comets.

Mark

[markjob]

Gentlemen,

These are very nice comet photos. Work is keeping me from at least sneaking a peak. Keep them coming.

Mark

[gunnar2]

I may join you David on Saturday morning

Gunnar

[defalkner]

Keep a close eye on the weather. It is not as favorable as it was earlier in the week.

[defalkner]

Not trusting Minnesota weather for tomorrow I decided to take advantage of this morning's clear skies and went to Loch Ness Park in Blaine around 5 AM. It has a nice hill with a good view of the eastern sky. The park is not lighted so I only had to deal with the general light pollution of Blaine. I was able to view both Comet Lovejoy (currently northwest of the sickle in Leo) and Comet ISON (currently a few degrees above Spica) with binoculars so I was pretty happy about that. I looked for Comet Linear (C/2012 X1) near Arcturus but was unable to locate it. I also didn't stay to try and see Comet Encke since there was some ground fog and would probably be pretty difficult to see.

[krichter]

Here's a link from S+T http://www.skyandtelescope.com/communit ... 57211.html

[Astrolaman]

This morning I saw Comet Lovejoy from the eastern side of Elm Creek Park through 11X80 binoculars but had to struggle to get my parallelogram mount to point that high in the sky. I was a nice, bright fuzzy that I could practically see naked eye . My luck was not as good for Ison. A combination of heavy dew and the glow of lights from the direction of Champlin did me in.

[krichter]

Yet another comet! See http://cometchasing.skyhound.com/ for finder and more info.
Here's the synopsis from Skytools 3 for location ELO:

On this night C/2013 V3 (Nevski) is best visible between 03:00 and 06:02, with the optimum view at 05:05. Look for it in Leo, high in the sky in moonlight. It is difficult visually in the Lightbridge Dob 12". Use the Scientific 6.7 for optimum visual detection. It is magnitude 9.2 with a diameter of 5.2'.
In the following 30 days this object is detectable visually on November 26 through December 15, with the best view coming on December 1. During this period it will fade slowly and will reach peak altitude of 69° on December 14.
C/2013 V3 (Nevski) is past perihelion, which occurred in late October 2013.

[Astrolaman]

I finally saw Ison this morning starting at about 5:45 AM for about 15 minutes before clouds drifted in. Ison looked like an fuzzy star with a bluish tint and with no indication of a tail through 11X80 binoculars. It was about about 0.5 degrees to the right of a star of about the same magnitude. Using Stellarium and SkySafari, I believe the star was 86 Virginis, a tight double star with a magnitude of 5.5.

I was located in a waterfront park on the west side of Medicine Lake in Plymouth. Seeing conditions were poor because of the moon and moisture in the air. I had to use dew shields made from cardboard oatmeal cans to keep my binoculars clean.

As I was leaving, someone came by who had been observing from French Park. I was surprised to learn that the gates there open at 5:00 AM.

-john hill

[Dick Jacobson]

I failed to see ISON this morning but saw Lovejoy quite easily using both 22x100 and 15x45 binoculars. I was at the Skyview site in French Park and there was one other observer. The light pollution right in the direction of downtown Minneapolis was bad, and the Moon didn't help either.

[Astrolaman]

I failed to see ISON this morning but saw Lovejoy quite easily using both 22x100 and 15x45 binoculars. I was at the Skyview site in French Park and there was one other observer. The light pollution right in the direction of downtown Minneapolis was bad, and the Moon didn't help either.

Hi Dick,
I assume that the guy that came down to the park on West Medicine Lake was the other observer who had been up at French Park and not you. I only had about 15 minutes of clear sky before the clouds/haze moved into that part of the sky.

[krichter]

I ended up staying overnight at ELO on the saturday event. The sky did eventually clear after midnight and seeing was great and the wind calmed down. I watched a moon transit across Jupiter around 4 am and Comet C/2013 R1 Lovejoy was magnificent thru my 12 inch near beta bootes. I could clearly see a tail of about 1/2 degree especially with averted vision. Even in binocs there is evidence of a tail. This is one of the better comet's I have seen, whether or not ISON lives up to the hype, I highly recommend Lovejoy!

I tried for ISON in the morning (Dec 1) again (had finder and found Saturn and Mercury easy enough) but despite being clear it was maybe too low or too dim. I couldnt find it with binocs or scope (one time I wish I had goto!)
I also found very dim comet (C/2012 X1 linear also in Bootes. It was a challenge even in the 12. Like a dim ghostly glob. Skytools listed it at mag 7.7 but I doubt that was correct - it seemed dimmer, likely mag 10 or so. I also searched in vain for comet V3 Nevski. Anyways we have a rare bunch of comets out. Hoping still to see ISON...

[merle]

Looks like ISON has gone away… again!!

The latest from NASA: "The question remains as to whether the bright spot seen moving away from the sun was simply debris, or whether a small nucleus of the original ball of ice was still there. Regardless, it is likely that it is now only dust."

See the full story HERE.

Also, be sure to watch the SOHO video of the full perihelion passage and apparent dispersion of ISON.


Merle
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