Comet C/2024 Atlas G3 Daylight sequence
in the Morning sky
January 12-16, 2025

 
 Ive
            combined all the daylight shots of the comet as it rounded the
            sun into one image set here. North is up in all images. The Sun
            would be to the right. As a comet rounds the sun at perihelion
            (closest approach to the Sun) the tail always points away from
            the Sun because it is only dust and is pushed back by the solar
            wind. So as the comet rounds the Sun, the tail will change its
            angle. This set starts with one day before perihelion, and goes
            for 5 days. You can see in the first frame the tail was pointing
            to the upper left. At perihelion it is straight up - due north.
            Then it keeps rotating around as it traveles downwards.

            
Select an image size for a larger view:

1600 x 1200
            


Scope:  10" f/3.9 Orion Astrograph Newtonian 
Camera: ASI183 CMOS
Platform:  Astrophysics AP1200
Exposure:  50ms
Location:  Payson, Arizona
Elevation:  5150 ft.
Sky:  Seeing  4/10, Transparency 9/10
Outside Temperature:  40F
Processing Tools:  Maxim DL, Photoshop CS2
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