546 replies to this topic

[Sky King]

 

10-31-24   C2023 A3 Tsuchinshan ATLAS     71 images at 30 seconds each for 35 minutes and 30 seconds total

 

8 EdgeHD, Celestron .7 reducer, UV/IR Filter, ASI533MC Pro. DSS, Siril, andAffinity Photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dave Mitsky]

I observed the comet again on Saturday night from the Naylor Observatory using my Canon 15x50 IS, a 5" refractor that serves as a finder scope for the observatory's classical Cassegrain, and the 17" classical Cassegrain.  

[Erik Bakker]

Fading Comet 2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) from October 25 to November 1, 2024

 

from Tucson AZ with a Vixen VSD astrograph.

 

original posted 20k x  9 k  https://flic.kr/p/2qrFwtS   the full resolution is needed to overcome the limits of the included thumbnail

Love the mosaic you made of the fading comet. Wonderful images!

[ssmith]

The comet has finally climbed to an elevation where it clears the trees and is visible from my permanent pier for a short time. This is a crop from the full frame.

 

[Dave Mitsky]

The Actual Astronomy Podcast discusses observing reports on the comet at https://actualastron...erving-reports/

[Dave Mitsky]

Here's a 4-minute-long Seestar S50 image that I acquired on November 1st.

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Dave Mitsky]

I captured this 3-minute-long Seestar S50 image on November 2nd.

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Sky King]

11-6-24    C2023 A3 Tsuchinshan ATLAS   68 images at 30 seconds each

 

8 EdgeHD, Celestron .7 reducer, UV/IR Filter, ASI533MC Pro. DSS, Siril, and Affinity Photo.

 

 

 

 

 

[Dave Mitsky]

Here are two finder charts for Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) for tonight at 7:00 p.m. EST.

Attached Thumbnails

• 
• 

[Speedy1985]

I got this one Tuesday 11/5 with my 4" refractor and night vision. It was 10 x .6 second exposures using the Astroshader app.

 

 

[kbart0791]

The most spectacular naked-eye comet experience I've ever had.  Very well defined "head" with a very long "tail" clearly visible.  Binocular views at 12X and spotting scope views at 15-60X also excellent.

While I can not say this is the best comet I have ever seen -  my guess is I am older and remember Hyuakutake and HB.  I definitely can say it was a beautiful comet and its been since HB I got my last comet fix. You are right.  To the eye it was easy, comet head and all.  I mentioned in another post on CN "Non of this averted vision stuff" lol.  I had incredible bino views with an old pair of 16x80's in early Oct, and in late Oct. With a pair of 20x80's.  I wish I could have had the 20x80's earlier in the month since the views were much better than the 16x80's.  Even as of a couple of days ago the comet still was pretty to look at.  The dust tail visually is easy to trace out for about a degree and a half.  Averted vision showed about another half of a degree.  Basically in my 20x80's the tail still fills almost the whole field of view.  Here are my images taken last month on different days with a combination of my Pixel 7, and a Nikon D3300 at a fl/600.  The DSLR images were at iso 6400 with varying exposure times were stacked and processed in Siril.

Attached Thumbnails

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Edited by kbart0791, 08 November 2024 - 04:42 PM.

[kbart0791]

I can't speak for Ron, but the image through my 4" refractor (with 20mm EP) was much less exciting than photos taken with my phone.  Even in perfect focus, the comet just looked like a bright/fuzzy dot surrounded by a lighter shroud of fuzz, and it was pretty boring.  Even the view through my 12x50 binos was better.  Obviously, I could have sharpened up the image with larger EPs, but 20mm was the largest one I had and I was attempting to see more of the structures within the coma than the entirety of the comet itself.  

 

The image improved dramatically when I shot a few photos through the telescope with my phone, and I was able to capture a pretty decent image of the nucleus and four distinct dust trails:

 

Tsuchinshan3.jpg  

 

Again, I don't have any special equipment.  Just a Nexstar 102GT, an iPhone (and some patience), but I was quite satisfied and surprised by the outcome.  

I agree.  I viewed the comet in my C14 at X76 and up to 320.  Best sharpest images in the scope were around 240. My scope did show a shell around the nucleus and what vaguely looked like a shadow of the nucleus casting into the dust tail.  With that being said, my best views were with my 16x80's and 20X80 binos.

[ehanes7612]

Taken near Ajo, Az on Nov 1 2024. LRGB filters processed in Pixinsight with quick LRGB script and some tweaks. Tak 85 mm with ZWO 1600 mm pro

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[kbart0791]

ehanes7612 beautiful photo.  I realize photos can be altered in many ways that can make comets look incredible by cropping / streching / etc.  I have seen photos with comets that look great but only have a tail a degree and a half that still are really good pictures.  I am not sure how long the tail is now, but images like yours show that this is still a good comet I wont forget.   I just glimpsed it with my non dark adapted eyes in my 20x80s 15 minutes ago and I can easily make out a 1 to 1.5 degree tail.

[emh52]

Nov 7 2024. 3 min with iTelescope T68 RASA

 

still looking good.   https://flic.kr/p/2qsHw1E

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[ehanes7612]

ehanes7612 beautiful photo.  I realize photos can be altered in many ways that can make comets look incredible by cropping / streching / etc.  I have seen photos with comets that look great but only have a tail a degree and a half that still are really good pictures.  I am not sure how long the tail is now, but images like yours show that this is still a good comet I wont forget.   I just glimpsed it with my non dark adapted eyes in my 20x80s 15 minutes ago and I can easily make out a 1 to 1.5 degree tail.

THANKS ! the field of view for my 85 with reducer is about 3/3.5  degrees  in the diagonal with the ZWO 1600 mm pro..this is not cropped and minimal stretching. The luminance was only 30 30 second frames but the sky is pretty dark at Organ Pipe Cactus NM. I actually think I could have gotten more of the tail but I had already framed the image and wasn't going to start over or take more data

Edited by ehanes7612, 08 November 2024 - 11:30 PM.

[Dave Mitsky]

Here's a screen shot from Stellarium indicating the location of the comet tonight at 6:30 p.m. EST.

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[emh52]

https://flic.kr/p/2qtd5sa

 

Comet tonight , getting fainter and smaller apparent size, but in a nice field of colorful stars

 

iTelescope T14 RGB. 6 x 90 sec. 

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Erik Bakker]

https://flic.kr/p/2qtd5sa

 

Comet tonight , getting fainter and smaller apparent size, but in a nice field of colorful stars

 

iTelescope T14 RGB. 6 x 90 sec. 

Wonderful image with a nice mix of comet detail, tail and background stars.

[emh52]

Wonderful image with a nice mix of comet detail, tail and background stars.

Thanks!!!

[Sky King]

11-09-24   C2023 A3 Tsuchinshan ATLAS    80 images at 30 seconds each for 40 minutes total

 

8 EdgeHD, Celestron .7 reducer, UV/IR Filter, ASI533MC Pro, DSS, Siril, Affinity Photo.   Bright star is HD 170580

 

 

 

 

From 11-08-24:

 

Edited by Sky King, 10 November 2024 - 02:49 PM.

[emflocater]

Yeah she's a fading fast! Noticed recent pics having much longer exposures and plenty of stacks.

 

Cheers

Don

[emh52]

Although fading and a month after appearing at dusk 2023 A3 is still very nice.

This image is 3 min integration with T68 the telescope RASA on Nov 12 2024

https://flic.kr/p/2qtQzec

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[emh52]

2023 A3 in black and white as it passes a part of Milky Way on Nov 12 2024, this was processed in a way to try to capture the old glass plate photography that has a dark contrast, for those too young glass plates had a depth that is just different than film and digital- archaic yes but it was wonderful. This is a digital capture with iTelescope T14, with some post processing to do dark detail contrast.

 

https://flic.kr/p/2qtX9Ro

 

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Sky King]

11-14-24   C2023 A3 Tsuchinshan ATLAS    56 images at 60 seconds each

 

8 EdgeHD, Celestron .7 reducer, UV/IR Filter, ASI183MM Pro

 

Imaged in mono under a bright Moon.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Sky King, 15 November 2024 - 07:53 PM.