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Special Ed
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/03
Posts: 4304
Loc: Greenbrier Co., WV 38N, 80W
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Hello,
I finally got a chance to see a comet I've been hoping to spot for about a month now. My report and sketch (with images and sketches by others) are here in the Solar System observing forum.
The sketch was done in the field with HB and 2B pencils and a stump on Strathmore 60lb. recycled sketch paper. I also did some blending with my fingers. The drawing was inverted and text added after scanning. Let me know if the color of the text is off-putting.
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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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rolandlinda3
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/24/06
Posts: 2233
Loc: Crozet VA 22932
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Nicely observed and sketched. Good presentation to me. Your text color is fine by my eyes.
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Roland
Sketches in members galleries: rolandlinda3
Inspirational stories/sketches at:
www.christworksministries.org
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4089
Loc: Illinois
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Michael,
Very nice Sketch of C/2006 W3 Comet Christensen.   I thought about going after this comet last month too but I assumed it might be a little to faint in my sky. Maybe not - waiting for clear weather.
Frank 
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my gallery
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Jef De Wit
super member
Reged: 03/06/09
Posts: 125
Loc: Hove, Belgium
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Here's mine sketch from comet Christensen of the second of August (21.45 UT). It was still twilight and the Moon was on. Magnification: x171. Dobson 30 cm.
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Clear skies, Jef De Wit
7x50 bino, Meade ETX-70 & Orion Optics UK 12" Dobson
"Bright skies aren't empty skies" (James Mallaney)
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Tommy5
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/28/04
Posts: 1823
Loc: Chicagoland
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Very nice comet sketches, Micheal and Jef thanks for sharing.
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4089
Loc: Illinois
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Jef,
Excellent sketch of Comet Christensen C/ 2006 W3. You have captured this fine comet very well. I was surprised by how bright this comet is at its great distance from earth. 
I also managed to get a sketch of this comet as it went past its culmination point for the night in Sagitta. It looked to me to be brighter than ninth magnitude. If you have not taken a look get your telescope out and have a first hand look.
Here is a finder chart:
http://cometchasing.skyhound.com/comets/2006_W3.gif
Here is my (inverted graphite) sketch
C/2006 W3 Christensen
August 18, 2009 11:30-11:50pm CDT
Magnitude: aprox. 9
Transparency: 4/5
Seeing: 6/10
Wind speed: 5 mph
Temp.: 20C (68F)
Telescope: 10" f/5.7 with 24mm Hyperion eyepiece 60x
Frank McCabe
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my gallery
Edited by frank5817 (08/19/09 07:27 PM)
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Special Ed
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/03
Posts: 4304
Loc: Greenbrier Co., WV 38N, 80W
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Thanks everyone for your comments.
Jef and Frank, I'm glad you added your observations--nice sketches from you both. We all seem to see the comet in roughly the same way.
I haven't been able to get back to C/2006 W3 yet thanks to our local weather in order to confirm or revise my intial magnitude estimate. I've read various reports that put the visual mag at 8.4-8.6. Estimating comet magnitudes is a notoriously tricky business. When I made my estimate of 9.0, I was not using the smallest aperture available to me, which is a no-no, so my estimate could well be off. Hopefully we'll get another clear night here while Luna is still dark.
Meanwhile, I hope we get some more observations posted.
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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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CarlosEH
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/19/05
Posts: 4142
Loc: Pembroke Pines, Broward County...
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Frank, Jef, and Michael
Thank you all for your excellent observations of this interesting small comet. It appears to have a bright nucleus and a prominent coma. I hope to get a chance to observe it soon myself.
Carlos
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4089
Loc: Illinois
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Carlos,
As Michael can tell you this is a very nice comet well placed in our night sky for observing. I hope you get a chance to see and sketch it.
Frank
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my gallery
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