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tconrardy · Post by **tconrardy** » Sun May 07, 2006 5:30 pm

Hi all

Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann is in town ( now thats a mouthful!) formally known as SW 73P. It was actaully a part of a larger comet that broke up into three comets. This one is getting brighter, and tried hunting it last night. Here is my report:

Finally tracked down this comet! I have been looking every clear night
to no avail, and sometimes the weather was doing a CMT.(
CloudMagnetTheory) But last night, printed out a calsky chart, and
tried methodically to find the comet. It was suppose to be right by
Vega, so i thought It was going to be an easy target. It was also
suppose to be at mag7, so i started my search with my 15x70 Skymaster
binocs.Could not find it. However my main issue was that the fainter
stars of Lyra were not visable yet to the nakid eye in my San Jose LP
skies.So it was hard to find the correct orientation of the map. So,
using my 8" Dob, started at vega, and started scanning. Came across a
wonderful asterism, with a golden star, which I sketched. Might as
well see what beauities lie in the hunt! Then a familear round DSO
came into view: the Ring nebula.Sketched that. Then realized, I knew
where I was was, and positioned the map accordenly, and star by star,
came across an irredesant glow and knew I had found my quarry!
Sketched it at low powers, a 17MM Teleview Plossil, and then the 9MM
naglar. To my surprise, at low powers, and the 17MM, The comet appears
to be right next to another star. As I used the higher power 9MM, it
became more seperated from the star, and was able to view it more
openly. Did several sketches. To me it appears the comets tail was to
the left . In the sky orientation then, it was going south. I could be
wrong. It had a bright nucleus, but really hard to see any tail, so
using averted vision, thought I picked one up. But very hard to tell.
However I was very pleased that I was able to find it, even in LP San
Jose Skies.

Hope you guys and Gals give it a try..should be having some clear
nights ahead. ( at least in San Jose, CA) Anybody else track this one
down?

Tim

TotcProductions · Post by **TotcProductions** » Wed May 10, 2006 10:09 pm

No Telescope here......and no clear skies either.....too much light pollution.

beej · Post by **beej** » Wed May 10, 2006 10:22 pm

Damn, you southern skies folks get all the good stuff. Just got the ole telescope out the other night (haven't played with it for ages).

I'm a really really *really* amateur astronomer (meaning I watch Sky At Night, love the night sky and can name a few constellations and find the odd nebulae, that's as far as I get.)

Although Redshift is a great tool!

tconrardy · Post by **tconrardy** » Wed May 10, 2006 11:10 pm

TotcProductions wrote:No Telescope here......and no clear skies either.....too much light pollution.

But.. I was able to see it in san jose LP skies...you will be surprised at what you CAN see. For example, all I could see was 1rst magitude Vega, and not the rest of Lyra. But using my star chart and telrad, was able to find it. It went right by the ring nebula, and had both the comet and the ring neb all in the same feild of view ( FOV)quite coool!

Tim

tconrardy · Post by **tconrardy** » Wed May 10, 2006 11:13 pm

beej wrote:Damn, you southern skies folks get all the good stuff. Just got the ole telescope out the other night (haven't played with it for ages).

I'm a really really *really* amateur astronomer (meaning I watch Sky At Night, love the night sky and can name a few constellations and find the odd nebulae, that's as far as I get.)

Although Redshift is a great tool!

what kind do ya got beej? You can still do some look'in even with moderate sized scopes. heck..binocs will do. But Telescopes are getting cheaper ( in price) and better( in quality) I got a good 8" Dobson for 350.00, but you can get then for less too. But..on the other hand..you can spend a LOT on this hobby, so its a matter of finding middle ground and what you want to do.

Tim

TotcProductions · Post by **TotcProductions** » Wed May 10, 2006 11:30 pm

How much for a hubble?

beej · Post by **beej** » Wed May 10, 2006 11:51 pm

tconrardy wrote:what kind do ya got beej?

It's a 900mm reflector, Tasco jobby - actually, me and my Mum clubbed together and bought it for my Dad, as we both have an interest in the skies.

Maybe one of these days I'll discipline myself to actually learn some amateur astronomy knowledge. Mind you, I quite like the idea of buying a computer-controlled scope and just clicking "M42" and having it come up on my computer monitor...

beej · Post by **beej** » Wed May 10, 2006 11:52 pm

TotcProductions wrote:How much for a hubble?

As the old saying goes... "If you have to ask..."

tconrardy · Post by **tconrardy** » Thu May 11, 2006 9:58 pm

beej wrote:
TotcProductions wrote:How much for a hubble?
As the old saying goes... "If you have to ask..."

BUT

They actually do make amateur scopes now that uses the same optics as hubble..I think it just came out..saw it in Sky and telescope.

Yeah..I'm tempted to get a go-to scope..but you don't learn the sky. If I pointed to a star, and said..WTF is that? You couldn't answer me. Thats why I like my Dob..Its easy to point at things, but you get to tour as well. Just saw a comet AGAIN last night. It was Fragment B, and its brighter then fragment C, which is what my report was based on. Actually could see the tail!

Tim

beej · Post by **beej** » Thu May 11, 2006 10:24 pm

Well I had a good view of Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp a few years ago, so I can't complain...

TotcProductions · Post by **TotcProductions** » Thu May 11, 2006 11:36 pm

beej wrote:Well I had a good view of Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp a few years ago, so I can't complain...

Hey, I knew a whole collective of people that had a good view of Hale-bopp....they all killed themselves for some reason.

beej · Post by **beej** » Thu May 11, 2006 11:40 pm

Hold on, I think I just saw a triffid walk past the window... and my eyes are getting blurry...

TotcProductions · Post by **TotcProductions** » Thu May 11, 2006 11:42 pm

tconrardy wrote: Actually could see the tail!

Tim

That's where the spaceship is!!!

beej · Post by **beej** » Thu May 11, 2006 11:51 pm

You been drinking tonight, mate..?

TotcProductions · Post by **TotcProductions** » Fri May 12, 2006 12:16 am

beej wrote:You been drinking tonight, mate..?

you caught me

The me not having a telescope post was genuine though....very upset about that....I'll have to pick one up....Tim, any recommendations on a HQ Budget telescope???

OT: Comet SW 73P hunting report.