Comet 220P Mcnaught Explodes again
in the Morning sky
8/15/26

 

            
 Here is the exploding
            comet Mcnaught 220P this morning sitting currently on one edge
            of the circlet of Cetus. It is around 7.5 magnitude, should be
            15th right now without this latest outburst. Note the gorgeous
            parabolic shaped coma, brilliant stellar nucleus, and sharp ray
            down the middle of the dust fan. Easily seen in the finder scope.
            Note the background is considerably "lumpy". this is
            due to extensive background integrated flux nebula in this part
            of the sky. A brief clearing in the thick monsoon clouds occured
            this morning and I rushed out to get this shot!

            


            -Comet: 220P McNaught

            -Date/Time Local: 8/15/26 1:41 AM MST

            -Date/Time UT: 8/15/26 8:41 UT

            -FOV: 94' x 75'

            -Orientation: N up

            -Seeing: 6

            -Transparency: 6

            -Orig. Scale: 1.2 arcsec/Pixel

            -Instrument: 10" f/3.8 Newt

            -Exposure: 120 min total LRGB

            -Camera: Atik 16200

            -Location: Payson,AZ

            
Select an image size for a larger view:

1600 x 1200
            


Scope:  10" f/3.9 Orion Astrograph Newtonian + Baader MPCC 4 coma corrector
Camera: Atik 16200 CCD
Platform:  Astrophysics AP1200
Exposure:  120 mins
Location:  Payson, Arizona
Elevation:  5150 ft.
Sky:  Seeing  7/10, Transparency 6/10
Outside Temperature:  42F
Processing Tools:  Maxim DL, Photoshop CS2
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