Special Ed
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/03
Posts: 3479
Loc: Greenbrier Co., WV 38N, 80W
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Hiro,
That's a great image.  The comet doesn't appear to me to have moved very far in the 10 hours between my observation and your image.
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Michael Rosolina
8" f/10 Orange Tube SCT
4.25" f/4.2 Astroscan Reflector
SVP 3.6" f/13.6 CA Reflector
40mm PST f/10
APM Germany HD 15x70 binoculars
Canon 12x36 IS II binoculars
Mark I Eyeball
My CN Gallery
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hiro
sage
Reged: 07/17/07
Posts: 272
Loc: Tokyo
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Thanks guys,
The comet goes too low here by next new moon. I will shoot it a few days after next full moon.
The height of the comet would be 12 degree at the end of twilight, 20:27 May 22, and 8 degree at 20:29 May 24, 2008.
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hiro
Canon EOS 5D / EOS 5D-AP
Takahashi FSQ-106ED with reducer, extender, and "hiro design" off axis guider
Takahashi EM-200 temma 2 jr
Kenko Skymemo-R
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tboss70
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/25/05
Posts: 1969
Loc: Missouri
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These aren't much but I took about 15, 1 minute exposures from town two nights ago. I definitely need longer exposures.
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Todd
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tboss70
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/25/05
Posts: 1969
Loc: Missouri
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and...
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Todd
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Tonk
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/19/04
Posts: 3550
Loc: Leeds, UK, 54N
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S&T alert - http://www.skyandtelescope.com/resources/proamcollab/astroalert/19007644.html
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Televue 85, GM-8/Gemini, Canon 10D
Coronado SM60/BF10, Baader Herschel Wedge
Leeds Sky Clock Ripon Sky Clock
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tboss70
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/25/05
Posts: 1969
Loc: Missouri
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If weather permits Im going to try this one again tonight.
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Todd
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Phillip Creed
Idiot Seeking Village
Reged: 07/25/06
Posts: 1030
Loc: NE Ohio
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To All,
Now that the moon is getting out of the evening sky, give Boattini a peek. Recent observations coming in suggest it is now a bit brighter than 6th magnitude. For those around 40N, the comet will be about 10 degrees above the horizon at the end of twilight, dropping down to around 5 degrees by May 27. The comet will then become visible only in the southern hemisphere, before re-emerging in morning twilight by the second week in July.
If I get any clear skies this upcoming Memorial Day weekend, I'll give it a shot.
Clear Skies,
Phil
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"Why suffer from insanity when you can revel in it?"
Wilderness Center Astronomy Club member since 1995
ICQ Comet Observer Code: CRE01
*****
16" f/4.5 Truss Dobsonian (FOR SALE!!)
Orion 120mm ST Refractor
23mm Axiom LX
13mm Nagler Type 6
9mm Nagler Type 6
1.75X Siebert Barlow
*****
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Dave M
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/03/04
Posts: 4506
Loc: N.E Ohio
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Phil,
Saturday looks good for an attempt at an observation, i may
give it a shot from Silver Creek.
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Dave
Meade 16" F4.5 EQ Starfinder
Meade 10" SCT / Losmandy G11
Tak FSQ106ED
Canon 20D
SBig ST-4
http://www.spacew.com/gallery/DM
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Special Ed
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/03
Posts: 3479
Loc: Greenbrier Co., WV 38N, 80W
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I tried for Comet Boattini with the 15x70's Saturday evening but no joy. I'm not very familiar with the star patterns in that part of the sky, so I came down from Alphard (in Hydra) and scanned along the horizon but never swept it up. It was probably 10° or less above the horizon, but I was hoping it would stand out in the soup. 
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Michael Rosolina
8" f/10 Orange Tube SCT
4.25" f/4.2 Astroscan Reflector
SVP 3.6" f/13.6 CA Reflector
40mm PST f/10
APM Germany HD 15x70 binoculars
Canon 12x36 IS II binoculars
Mark I Eyeball
My CN Gallery
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Phillip Creed
Idiot Seeking Village
Reged: 07/25/06
Posts: 1030
Loc: NE Ohio
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Dave,
I tried to give it a shot on Saturday night, but I had (of ALL things...) blowoff cirrus from an MCS in IL/MO that ruined my skies to the SW. So I'll probably have to wait until July.
Clear Skies,
Phil
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"Why suffer from insanity when you can revel in it?"
Wilderness Center Astronomy Club member since 1995
ICQ Comet Observer Code: CRE01
*****
16" f/4.5 Truss Dobsonian (FOR SALE!!)
Orion 120mm ST Refractor
23mm Axiom LX
13mm Nagler Type 6
9mm Nagler Type 6
1.75X Siebert Barlow
*****
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Dave M
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/03/04
Posts: 4506
Loc: N.E Ohio
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Phil,
I tried also but had the same problem, yea looks like July.
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Dave
Meade 16" F4.5 EQ Starfinder
Meade 10" SCT / Losmandy G11
Tak FSQ106ED
Canon 20D
SBig ST-4
http://www.spacew.com/gallery/DM
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Nick Lloyd
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/24/06
Posts: 1624
Loc: cincinnati
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Anybody bag this in the morning skies?
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"The best scope is the one you use." -rcg
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Tonk
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/19/04
Posts: 3550
Loc: Leeds, UK, 54N
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Not yet - UK latitudes require another week before we can see it
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Televue 85, GM-8/Gemini, Canon 10D
Coronado SM60/BF10, Baader Herschel Wedge
Leeds Sky Clock Ripon Sky Clock
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edwincjones
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/10/04
Posts: 4355
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? with 8x42s, but not definate
edj
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n w arkansas
Binocular, Solar, General Amateur Astronomy
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edwincjones
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/10/04
Posts: 4355
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Quote:
? with 8x42s, but not definate
edj
confirmed-I checked with sky atlas and object seen was where comet should have been and no alternative DSOs in the area.
edj
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n w arkansas
Binocular, Solar, General Amateur Astronomy
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Special Ed
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/03
Posts: 3479
Loc: Greenbrier Co., WV 38N, 80W
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Congratulations, edj. What did the comet look like visually? Were you able to see any elongation? Skies are forecast to finally clear here Thursday--I hope to try for it then.
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Michael Rosolina
8" f/10 Orange Tube SCT
4.25" f/4.2 Astroscan Reflector
SVP 3.6" f/13.6 CA Reflector
40mm PST f/10
APM Germany HD 15x70 binoculars
Canon 12x36 IS II binoculars
Mark I Eyeball
My CN Gallery
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VanJan
super member
Reged: 07/09/08
Posts: 111
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Yes, with 8x42 binos under semi-urban skies around 4 a.m. EDT. Rough estimate of 6.5 magnitude. Elongation slight, if any. Not a difficult sighting, but not an instant, easy one either.
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Special Ed
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/03
Posts: 3479
Loc: Greenbrier Co., WV 38N, 80W
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I also observed the comet this morning under rural skies between 4:25 and 5:10 EDT. NELM in the area of the comet was ~4.6 with a slight skyglow from the Sun on the NE horizon. Boattini's altitude was ~20°. It was easy with my 12x36 image stabilzed binoculars. I could see omicron Tauri and alpha Ceti (Menkar) and when I aimed the binocs between them, there it was about 3° SW of omicron Tau--fairly bright for a comet. I estimated the degree of condensation = 4 and the visual magnitude ~5.8. It may have been slightly elongated.
I used the 15x70's on a p-gram mount to make the sketch.
The coma was pretty large and I discovered later when I checked Starry Nights that it covered two 9th magnitude stars--I never saw them. The sky brightened rapidly but the central condensation remained visible until 5:10 (0910 UT) which is the beginning of astronomical twilight for me. I almost forgot to add--while I was observing, two satellites traveled in formation through the field and a little later a meteor went through the field. 
A nice comet--I hope to see it again tomorrow morning.
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Michael Rosolina
8" f/10 Orange Tube SCT
4.25" f/4.2 Astroscan Reflector
SVP 3.6" f/13.6 CA Reflector
40mm PST f/10
APM Germany HD 15x70 binoculars
Canon 12x36 IS II binoculars
Mark I Eyeball
My CN Gallery
Edited by Special Ed (07/11/08 01:19 PM)
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Special Ed
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/03
Posts: 3479
Loc: Greenbrier Co., WV 38N, 80W
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Hi Everyone,
I did go out again this morning (Sat.) and observed Boattini. The transparency was a wee bit better, the air was drier, and it was still nice and dark. M31 and the Double Cluster in Perseus were both visible with direct vision. I tried for the comet with the unaided eye but could not see it. Someone else with better eyes might have seen it given those conditions but it seemed slightly dimmer than last night when I put the 15x70's on it so I dunno.
I had the chance to study it for a while and it may not be quite as big as I rendered it in my original sketch. It's hard to say because the coma is very diffuse and also because when the sky is darker, the comet is less than 20° altitude and as it climbs up out of the soup, the sky is brightening considerably. The two 9th magnitude stars that it was obscuring yesterday morning (TYC 62-389-1 mag 8.9 and TYC 62-712-1 mag 9.4) were visible today. They have an angular separation of 15 arcmins. I saw another 9th magnitude star that I did not notice yesterday (either because of the transparency or the skyglow) just to the NE of the comet's new position so I added it to the sketch.
Boattini traveled about 1 degree in 24 hours and is now next to a small triangular asterism. It is in front of a 10.5 mag star (TYC 62-67-1) that I was unable to see. Here is the updated sketch:
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Michael Rosolina
8" f/10 Orange Tube SCT
4.25" f/4.2 Astroscan Reflector
SVP 3.6" f/13.6 CA Reflector
40mm PST f/10
APM Germany HD 15x70 binoculars
Canon 12x36 IS II binoculars
Mark I Eyeball
My CN Gallery
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Special Ed
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/03
Posts: 3479
Loc: Greenbrier Co., WV 38N, 80W
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I made a new observation of the comet this morning (Tuesday). Conditions were very good--I could see the 5.5 mag star in the corner of the Little Dipper and M31 and the Double Cluster were both easy with the unaided eye. In the vicinity of the comet it was slightly less transparent, but I could see lambda Ceti (mag 4.7) with no trouble. It also helped that Boattini was rising to an altitude of 26° during my observation although I could not detect it with the unaided eye.
The comet was passing by two stars that had a separation of ~22 arcmins, so I was able to get a good estimate of its apparent diameter. The visual magnitude was a little tougher. I used the Sidgwick method and a couple of nearby stars for comparison. With averted vision, the comet seemed a little more condensed then my last observation (when it was lower in altitude). No sign of any tail at 15x. Boattini was about 2° ENE of lambda Ceti at the time of my observation.
I began today's observation at 0800 UT (4:00 AM local) and by the time of the sketch, the comet had moved perceptibly in relation to the two stars that it was beside. Boattini has traveled almost 4 degrees of arc since my observation of July 11th. I hope to plot its position in relation to lambda Ceti again tomorrow morning.
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Michael Rosolina
8" f/10 Orange Tube SCT
4.25" f/4.2 Astroscan Reflector
SVP 3.6" f/13.6 CA Reflector
40mm PST f/10
APM Germany HD 15x70 binoculars
Canon 12x36 IS II binoculars
Mark I Eyeball
My CN Gallery
Edited by Special Ed (07/16/08 06:43 AM)
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