Comet Lovejoy, Comet of the Century!! (for now)

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WCGucfa
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Comet Lovejoy, Comet of the Century!! (for now)

Unread post by WCGucfa »

Hey everyone,
I got out this morning to find Comets ISON and Linear, but ended up oohing and ahhhing at Comet Lovejoy.
If you haven't had a chance to see this beautiful thing, get out there as soon as you can.
I'm too tired to look it up but Lovejoy has to be at least 5.0 magnitude.
This is my second effort imaging this gem.

Bill G.

This field shows just about how Lovejoy looks in the scope at 25x.
60sec @ISO 1600, Antares 152mm. Canon T3i,Tail is extending towards 11:00. Limiting mag.15.
Image

Closeup of coma hints at an extension of false coma.
Image


Color Gradiant for detail exploration of the plume (wider area) eminating from the false nucleus.
ImageUploaded with ImageShack.com
Last edited by WCGucfa on Wed Dec 04, 2013 7:47 pm, edited 10 times in total.
Comets:40, Best Meteor shwr: Leonids '01, Best Aurora:Oct. '03.
Total.Sol.Eclipse,7/10/72 from Nova Scotia.Annular Sol. Eclipse '94,
Trans.of Venus 2004&2012.,ShoeLevy crash into Jupiter '94.
4/25/66 fireball-9 mag.,SN2011fe,N2012aw,DelphN2013.
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Apollo XX
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Re: Comet Lovejoy, Comet of the Century!! (for now)

Unread post by Apollo XX »

Hey Bill,

Great image, as always! Do you think maybe it was occulting a star to create that "bump"? Just a thought! 8)

Mike
"The purpose of life is the investigation of the Sun, the Moon, and the heavens." - Anaxagoras
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WCGucfa
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Re: Comet Lovejoy, Comet of the Century!! (for now)

Unread post by WCGucfa »

Thanks, Mike.

That's what I thought at first, as this happens all the time. This time though, there is no
star of this magnitude at this location. It also stayed "stuck" to the comet as it moved. :P 8)
Lovejoy is really moving against the background of stars!!

B.
Last edited by WCGucfa on Thu Nov 14, 2013 9:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
Comets:40, Best Meteor shwr: Leonids '01, Best Aurora:Oct. '03.
Total.Sol.Eclipse,7/10/72 from Nova Scotia.Annular Sol. Eclipse '94,
Trans.of Venus 2004&2012.,ShoeLevy crash into Jupiter '94.
4/25/66 fireball-9 mag.,SN2011fe,N2012aw,DelphN2013.
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AndyG
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Re: Comet Lovejoy, Comet of the Century!! (for now)

Unread post by AndyG »

Fabulous images, Bill! I had a feeling after Paul announced his success observing Lovejoy that we might have some images soon from our resident comet-hunter-photographer-extraordinaire. Thanks for posting the images.
Andy
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WCGucfa
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Re: Comet Lovejoy, Comet of the Century!! (for now)

Unread post by WCGucfa »

Thanks, Andy.

I just wish I could have gotten out THIS morning to see what the "bump" did in 24 hours.

BG

UPDATE:

November 15, 2013
My conclusion is that the "bump" or plume, if you will, is active detail in the false coma.
Although interesting, nothing too unusual!.
Thanks to Mike for his occultation theory.

11/9/2013
Image


11/13/2013
Image

BG
Last edited by WCGucfa on Wed Dec 04, 2013 7:42 pm, edited 5 times in total.
Comets:40, Best Meteor shwr: Leonids '01, Best Aurora:Oct. '03.
Total.Sol.Eclipse,7/10/72 from Nova Scotia.Annular Sol. Eclipse '94,
Trans.of Venus 2004&2012.,ShoeLevy crash into Jupiter '94.
4/25/66 fireball-9 mag.,SN2011fe,N2012aw,DelphN2013.
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NGC891
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Re: Comet Lovejoy, Comet of the Century!! (for now)

Unread post by NGC891 »

Awesome Bill!
- BrianT
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WCGucfa
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Re: Comet Lovejoy, Comet of the Century!! (for now)

Unread post by WCGucfa »

Everyone,

Spaceweather.com reported today (Nov.14) that ISON has increased in magnitude to around 6.
Check it out if you haven't already done so.

BG
Comets:40, Best Meteor shwr: Leonids '01, Best Aurora:Oct. '03.
Total.Sol.Eclipse,7/10/72 from Nova Scotia.Annular Sol. Eclipse '94,
Trans.of Venus 2004&2012.,ShoeLevy crash into Jupiter '94.
4/25/66 fireball-9 mag.,SN2011fe,N2012aw,DelphN2013.
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NGC7000
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Joined: Thu Dec 21, 2006 9:51 pm

Re: Comet Lovejoy, Comet of the Century!! (for now)

Unread post by NGC7000 »

Beautiful image, Bill. It really motivates me to get out and see it - once the sky clears.

Tom
Tom H
"Science knows no country, because knowledge belongs to humanity, and is the torch which illuminates the world. Science is the highest personification of the nation because that nation will remain the first which carries the furthest the works of thought and intelligence." - Louis Pasteur
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