Comet Borrelly

Currently in Orion

Uploaded 8/24/2001

Moving at a rapid rate at over a degree per day, this comet, approaching perihelion in September is currently 9th magnitude, and high in the morning sky before the glow of sunrise. It is one of the strangest appearing comets Ive ever photographed. The coma is very oval, enlongated in its direction of travel in the sky. Note the broad fan tail pointing to the lower right side, and more interestingly, the anti tail like protrusion extenending to the left. Orbital plane crossing was in June, so its long past the optimal for antitails, however this extension is very peculiar in comets. The comet was about half a degree from the open cluster NGC2194 this morning, making finding the comet much easier!

Instrument:  12.5" f/5 Home made Newtonian
CCD Camera:  SBIG ST7E w/Enhanced Cooling
Exposure:  L = 12m
Filters:  UV
Location:  Payson, Arizona
Elevation:  5150 ft.
Sky:  Seeing 9/10, Transparency 8/10
Outside Temperature:  19 C
CCD Temperature:  -20 C
Processing:  Maxim DL, AIP, Photoshop

 

 

 
 


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