Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann updates and status

Post by **rcj** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:12 am

Hi all,

I have created a new thread to discuss 73P's latest news and updates, together with its multiple fragments traversing through space currently.

As of April 7, component B is brighter than component C.
Magnitude of B is currently at 9.3 with a coma angular diameter of 4 arc-minutes. Magnitude of C is at 9.7 with coma diameter of 6 arc-minutes.
B is brightening considerably, and may hold the possiblility of breaking up into further components.
Both component B and G are currently going under an outburst with G now being observable visually under dark skies.

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 1:57 am

Fragments B & C are sporting nice little tails. I imaged them a few days ago, but haven't had a chance to process the images yet. Should be even better when the moon gets out of the way. A chum of mine, Nick James, has posted some images here:

http://www.theastronomer.org/comets/200 ... 05_ndj.jpg

Go well!
Jeremy

Post by **rcj** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 9:01 am

that's an insight, Jeremy!

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 2:05 am

I managed to process my 73P images. Here's fagment C.
Go well!
Jeremy

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 2:08 am

And here's fragment B. Note trailed stars are because I have tracked on the comet, which is moving relative to the background stars.
Go well!
Jeremy

Post by **Airconvent** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 10:50 pm

nice images , Jeremy!
you seem to like to image in negative to bring out the details...heh heh

anyway, here is more details on the comet group..:

http://www.space.com/spacewatch/060414_night_sky.html

Post by **rcj** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 1:22 am

nice nice Jeremy! heard that B is undergoing elongation of nucleus and about to break up soon....would be interesting to follow it up by imaging periodically...

Post by **Airconvent** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 11:49 pm

Joseph Caruana, using a Celestron Nexstar managed to capture this animation of the comet over 1.5 hrs. (its compressed here !)

http://www.wataugaskies.net/gallery/jc_ ... mation.swf

Post by **rcj** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 11:47 pm

Latest Update:
1) Component B has already split into two, with each nucleus about 4-arc minutes in diameter.
2) Component G has also JUST split.
3) Component B now might be undergoing an outburst...still not confirmed. Anyone?

All components are currently in Corona Borealis region.

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 3:47 am

...and here's one I took earlier:

http://britastro.org/baa/images/stories ... 22_ftn.jpg

Actually, people attending the BAA meeting in Liverpool last weekend had 30 mins access to the Faulkes Telescope on Hawaii. We were able to image 73P-B in real time using this giant telescope: a web cam even showed the scope slewing to each target. It was mid-morning in UK and night in Hawaii. The two main components are easily visible.

Go well!
Jeremy