Sadly I live in a red zone on the edge of an orange zone. Maybe I will shoot for Lovejoy tonight and save ISON for if/when it starts to shine.
Thanks for the link to the charts!
Looks like Stellarium has the magnitude reversed for ISON and Lovejoy. It says ISON is 6.18 and Lovejoy is 8.97
http://cometchasing.skyhound.com/ says ISON is between 8.1 and 7.7 and Lovejoy is between 6.7 and 5.1
Comet ISON_Please...
Started by
Edward E
, Oct 25 2013 01:44 PM
175 replies to this topic
#77
MessiToM
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Posted 09 November 2013 - 02:32 PM
I just cant seem to drag my but out of bed in the AM for ISON. I really should have stayed up just a tad longer last night for lovejoy.
Tony Flanders, I really enjoy seeing you comment in these threads!
Tony Flanders, I really enjoy seeing you comment in these threads!
#78
Edward E
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Posted 10 November 2013 - 12:36 PM
I hear you there. I wanted to get out and have a look this AM but sleep won that fight, plus the sky was filled with cirrus clouds this AM so no observing today. I will try again Monday morning.
#79
Edward E
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Posted 12 November 2013 - 06:36 PM
I was out and observing @ 4AM today (11/12)from my home in a red zone; found Comet Lovejoy right off the bat and enjoyed viewing it for 30 minutes then there was Comet ISON, please... 
; I could not even find it, neither in finder 6X50 (old Edmond Sci Deluxe Finder)nor in the 6" f8 Refractor with a Meade 40 mm wide field eyepiece (30X 1.4d FOV) or the 25mm Orthoscopic (49X 1d FOV). so much for, well you all know.
One the bright side of things there is yet another comet to add to the list in the AM sky; Comet C/2013 V3 (Nevski)is between Leo and Cancer or Cancer and Leo. Here is the link to a finder chart for the new comer:
http://cometchasing....ets/2013_V3.pdf
The AM sky is getting rather crowded with Solar Dust Bunnies (5 at last count).
; I could not even find it, neither in finder 6X50 (old Edmond Sci Deluxe Finder)nor in the 6" f8 Refractor with a Meade 40 mm wide field eyepiece (30X 1.4d FOV) or the 25mm Orthoscopic (49X 1d FOV). so much for, well you all know.One the bright side of things there is yet another comet to add to the list in the AM sky; Comet C/2013 V3 (Nevski)is between Leo and Cancer or Cancer and Leo. Here is the link to a finder chart for the new comer:
http://cometchasing....ets/2013_V3.pdf
The AM sky is getting rather crowded with Solar Dust Bunnies (5 at last count).
#80
Astro_Girl
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Lift Off
Posted 13 November 2013 - 12:19 PM
Comet Ison maybe brighter than the average bear but even I as a newbie amateur astronomer knew not to expect a "brilliant, dazzling, blindingly and bright comet in the sky" or the "comet of the century" as people imagine it should be by images they conjure up in there heads. As I show the comet, I am excited to find and see it but when showing it on a public event night I feel the general public is greatly disappointed. 
#81
Tony Flanders
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Posted 13 November 2013 - 02:34 PM
Comet Ison maybe brighter than the average bear but even I as a newbie amateur astronomer knew not to expect a "brilliant, dazzling, blindingly and bright comet in the sky" or the "comet of the century" as people imagine it should be.
Even the most optimistic predictions wouldn't have made Comet ISON dazzling at this point. Realistically, the best we could possibly have expected in mid-November was a comet much like Lovejoy -- faintly visible to the unaided eye from dark locations, and quite impressive through binoculars.
All that "Comet of the Century" stuff was supposed to happen at or immediately after perihelion, in late November and early December. And in fact, it's still possible that it may put on a good naked-eye show in early December.
Comet of the Century? That was always stretching the facts, even in the most optimistic scenario.
#82
Edward E
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Posted 13 November 2013 - 03:44 PM
Don't let the "disappointed public" curve your enthusiasm. Keep observing and showing the public what you find exciting and relay it to them. Your enthusiasm will shine through and inspire others to stop, look, listen and ask questions for themselves. Then, "who knows what dreams may come". Without the amateur astronomy community I fear that the public would forget that there is anything in the sky after dark, except the moon.
Are these your first comets to observe?
Are these your first comets to observe?
#83
Edward E
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Posted 13 November 2013 - 03:53 PM
We will find out, though, I'm of the opinion that the comet will not survive its brush with the Sun, but if it does another "Comet PANStarr" would not be bad either. Comet P was fun to watch as it changed over time last winter/spring. During star parties people were so thrilled to see Comet P even when it was still bright twilight and you could just barely see it in a scope.
#84
mattyfatz
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Posted 14 November 2013 - 08:59 AM
I've been reading up on this comet a bit. It seems that the hype was triggered by the circumstances following its initial discovery. Shortly after it was spotted, while it was still out beyond the orbit of Mars, the comet was sporting a tail. It is unusual for a tail to occur that far out. That tail has since disappeared, and has been replaced by a more common type. Astronomers think that since this comet is making its first journey from the Oort Cloud, it had a layer of irradiated ice and dust on the outside that formed this early tail. Most of the comets we've observed are periodic, and even if there orbit is 70,000 years
(like Hyakutake for example) this initial outer layer of ice and dust has blown off a long time ago.
So even if it doesn't perform as brilliantly as we anticipated, it's still a significant visitor. It is a good chance to see a comet that is making its first journey from the Oort Cloud. When showing it to the public, or explaining it to non astronomy types.. I try to emphasize this aspect of the comets significance. If you think about it.. It's really a comet of many centuries.
(like Hyakutake for example) this initial outer layer of ice and dust has blown off a long time ago.
So even if it doesn't perform as brilliantly as we anticipated, it's still a significant visitor. It is a good chance to see a comet that is making its first journey from the Oort Cloud. When showing it to the public, or explaining it to non astronomy types.. I try to emphasize this aspect of the comets significance. If you think about it.. It's really a comet of many centuries.
#85
Dave Mitsky
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Posted 14 November 2013 - 01:11 PM
Comet ISON just experienced an outburst and has brightened to fifth magnitude, according to the report at http://www.cloudynig...6194029/page...
A time-lapse video of the comet rising this morning is posted at http://blog.cajunastro.com/?cat=6
See http://www.skyandtel...mes-to-Life-... for additional information.
Dave Mitsky
A time-lapse video of the comet rising this morning is posted at http://blog.cajunastro.com/?cat=6
See http://www.skyandtel...mes-to-Life-... for additional information.
Dave Mitsky
#86
Tony Flanders
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Posted 14 November 2013 - 02:19 PM
It is probably the only comet we will ever get to see, that is making its first journey from the Oort Cloud.
I don't think that's right; freshly arrived comets are quite common.
In general, it's impossible to tell for sure, because the difference between a million-year orbit and one coming in fresh from infinity (the Oort Cloud counts as infinity) is too small to measure. For that matter, we typically can't rule out the possibility that they arrived from beyond the Oort Cloud, from interstellar space. But as far as I know, no asteroid or comet has ever been confirmed for sure as an interstellar visitor.
Note that orbits get perturbed by the planets, especially Jupiter. So something that starts out as a fresh arrival may end up as a periodic comet -- or be ejected entirely from the solar system.
#87
BrooksObs
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Posted 14 November 2013 - 02:55 PM
So even if it doesn't perform as brilliantly as we anticipated, it's still a significant visitor. It is probably the only comet we will ever get to see, that is making its first journey from the Oort Cloud. When showing it to the public, or explaining it to non astronomy types.. I try to emphasize this aspect of the comets significance. If you think about it.. It's really the comet of many centuries.
In fact, comets from the Oort Cloud are really not all that uncommon. I've watched many of them come and go over the years. This is why, if you listen to the right people, you will have heard months ago that ISON could never possibly developed as first publicized (i.e. brighter than the full moon). Actually, it is performing rather similarly to most of its previous Oort Cloud brethren, except perhaps for today's major outburst. Comet Kohoutek was a dynamically "new" comet, as was more recent Comet Austin in 1989; both heralded as likely to become comet's of the century, which neither did.
Likewise, the unperturbed orbital elements of a comet prior to its entering the realm of the planets can be calculated given a long enough observed arc of the orbit. Even those with million year periods can show a just detectible deviation from e=1.0 and most Oort Cloud comets can even be slightly hyperbolic. However, a true interstellar comet is anticipated to be highly hyperbolic and this has never been seen.
BrooksObs
#88
starcrafter
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Posted 14 November 2013 - 05:08 PM
So, at this point, is ISON or Lovejoy bright enough to be seen by a 60mm refractor (the same one from the $24.99 refractor thread)? The skies in my area are *BLEEP*, and because of that I don't feel like taking the 70 mile round trip to my dark site for observing.
I'd probably have to set up at a local park, which would have some significant ambient light pollution.
I'd probably have to set up at a local park, which would have some significant ambient light pollution.
#89
boandpokey
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Posted 14 November 2013 - 05:30 PM
ison will be much easier to see its had a dust and gas outburst..
#90
Dave Mitsky
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Posted 14 November 2013 - 06:56 PM
So, at this point, is ISON or Lovejoy bright enough to be seen by a 60mm refractor (the same one from the $24.99 refractor thread)? The skies in my area are *BLEEP*, and because of that I don't feel like taking the 70 mile round trip to my dark site for observing.
I'd probably have to set up at a local park, which would have some significant ambient light pollution.
Both comets should be visible through a 60mm refractor.
Dave Mitsky
#91
Edward E
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Posted 14 November 2013 - 07:10 PM
Not sure on ISON but Lovejoy was easily seen in my 6X50 finder Wednesday morning.
#92
Tony Flanders
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Posted 14 November 2013 - 07:30 PM
So, at this point, is ISON or Lovejoy bright enough to be seen by a 60mm refractor (the same one from the $24.99 refractor thread)?
Easily. I saw Lovejoy on Wednesday morning from my local city park through 10x30 binoculars. I was expecting to have to work at it, but in fact the comet was instantly obvious -- quite bright, really -- as soon as I started sweeping the area.
By all reports, ISON is now (or was this morning) even brighter than Lovejoy. However, it's also much lower in the sky, which is a definitely handicap.
#93
djpontone
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Posted 15 November 2013 - 07:01 AM
Saw comet ison this morning at sandy hook nj it,s a classic comet nice long fan tail bright coma 6 mag. easy in 16x70 bino cannot wait till december, hope for the best.
#94
rdandrea
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Posted 15 November 2013 - 07:49 AM
So, at this point, is ISON or Lovejoy bright enough to be seen by a 60mm refractor?
Lovejoy has been easy in my 12x60 binos. ISON was a struggle until this morning (I didn't go out yesterday) but this morning it was instantly obvious in the 12x60s even though three inconsiderate neighbors had left their porch lights on. As an experiment, I went inside and grabbed my 7x50s and both were also easy in the 7x50s. I would say Lovejoy is more fan-shaped than ISON--ISON's tail was more "spikey" to me in the binos. I could see about 1.5 degrees of it in the 12x60s handheld (probably more if I hadn't been too lazy to set up a tripod).
So you should have no trouble in a 60mm scope at low power. Just do it soon as you don't have too much "dark of the moon" left.
Come to think of it, I should have looked for Nevski too but morning twilight is already upon us here in Colorado. Oh well.
#95
rdandrea
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Posted 15 November 2013 - 07:50 AM
Comet of the Century? That was always stretching the facts, even in the most optimistic scenario.
Well, it's been a short century so far.
#96
Tony Flanders
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Posted 15 November 2013 - 08:14 AM
Comet of the Century? That was always stretching the facts, even in the most optimistic scenario.
Well, it's been a short century so far.
Yeah, but McNaught C/2006 P1 has already set a pretty high bar.
#97
Guillaume_8667
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Posted 15 November 2013 - 08:26 AM
I set up my telescope lastnight before going to bed so that I could wake up this morning to check on Lovejoy and ISON but 5am looked outside 
and I'm looking at the next 10days forecast it's all cloudy/partycloudy/rain 
I was wondering if someone has give a try at Lovejoy in the evening as Stellarium indicate Lovejoy rising NE at 10.30pm ET?
and I'm looking at the next 10days forecast it's all cloudy/partycloudy/rain I was wondering if someone has give a try at Lovejoy in the evening as Stellarium indicate Lovejoy rising NE at 10.30pm ET?
#98
rdandrea
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Posted 15 November 2013 - 08:31 AM
I was wondering if someone has give a try at Lovejoy in the evening as Stellarium indicate Lovejoy rising NE at 10.30pm ET?
Since it's just about straight overhead at 5:00 AM, it should be easy at about 1:30. The trouble is, you'll have the Moon to contend with.
#99
orion61
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Posted 15 November 2013 - 07:19 PM
could be the Comet of the Century (so far) were only in the 13th year of it, we have 87 years to go!, personally, I think I.S.O.N's a KLINKER!
#100
steveward53
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Posted 16 November 2013 - 04:16 AM
Unimpressed with Comet ISON are you ... ???
Then best you check out the latest images from Mr Damian Peach , they are stunning ...
http://www.damianpea...013_11_15dp.jpg
http://www.damianpea...11_15dp_neg.jpg
I just hope it survives its encounter with the Sun and emerges on the other side intact and ready to put on a show.
Then best you check out the latest images from Mr Damian Peach , they are stunning ...
http://www.damianpea...013_11_15dp.jpg
http://www.damianpea...11_15dp_neg.jpg
I just hope it survives its encounter with the Sun and emerges on the other side intact and ready to put on a show.
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