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Comet C/2007 N3 (Lulin)

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Author Topic: Comet C/2007 N3 (Lulin)  (Read 22394 times)
martinastro
Martin Mc Kenna
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« Reply #135 on: February 16, 2009, 03:27:35 am »

Had a short clearance tonight, located Spica in the 10x50s and was amazed how easy it was to see Lulin as a large green haze in the same field to the E of the star. Comet looked very bright although unspectacular with regards to structure. I wasn't even dark adapted either. Only a sort glimpse but I suspect it should be an easy naked eye object from a dark sight. Guessing mag +5.8 or brighter.
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« Reply #136 on: February 16, 2009, 03:23:31 pm »

Here's a link to an image I got at 02:00UT. This is a full single frame taken with the 50mm 1.8 and 10 seconds at f2 ISO1600. There was still quite a bit of haze about so I subtracted the orange glow from the street lights out front. It was an easy object in the 10x50 binos but I couldn't see it with the naked eye. I would tend to agree with the 5.8 estimate and it may even be brighter with the haze gone. If you look closely at the full image there is a hint of a tail pointing towards 7-o-clock position, this must be the anti-tail surely. The bright star below and right is Spica. Unfortunately I only got a few images as shortly after this the sky closed in again.
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=30m798g&s=5
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martinastro
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« Reply #137 on: February 16, 2009, 06:58:33 pm »

That's a great image John. Good job taking advantage of that clearance. Lulin looks very bright and green in comparison to your last image, shows how much it has brightened between the two dates. I can see a slight elongation in the anti-solar direction. I wonder what the same lens would pick up on a good clear night with the comet on the meridian?. You might get both tails.  Smiley. It stayed cloudy here for the rest of the night.
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« Reply #138 on: February 17, 2009, 07:08:33 am »

I've been following this thread with great interest and have enjoyed the various sightings reported.
Well I finally got his first view of the comet this morning. Being a slob, no venturing out in the cold and snow away from my house for me - just a short trip out to the back garden when the comet would be easy to find, having just passed about 3 degrees north of Spica.

I wasn't expecting to see the comet last night after looking at my local forecast. However when I got up at gone 3am I could see Spica through the window beckoning to me. Saturn and Regulus could be seen to the west of Spica, roughly indicating the path that Lulin would be taking over the next couple of weeks.

Anyway despite some intermittent cloud, out I went with my Tasco 10X50 binos. Tracked it down within seconds at "2 O'clock" from Spica (i.e. to the northwest of it). The magnitude was much as expected - however I was a little surprised at its size (for some reason I was expecting something smaller - don't ask me why,though). Anyway viewing the comet for the first time gave me the same thrill as an early morning session I had (IIRC) in the early hours of April 2002 when viewing (through the same binos) Ikeya-Zhang in the region of Cassiopeia.

I then decided to try a widefield shot of Spica and Lulin so quickly set up my AstroTrac camera platform (this platform has been a godsend to me, being so quick and lightweight to set up)! I've posted my initial result which is a stack of a couple of (cropped) images with a 135mm lens set at f4. I will process it later today to reduce the streaks of cloud which can be seen, remove the dust bunnies & also to try to enhance the comet. Let's hope that the cloud Gods smile on us when Lulin is in conjunctions with Saturn and Regulus over the coming two weeks!

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Andy
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« Reply #139 on: February 17, 2009, 09:32:26 am »

Quote
I've posted my initial result which is a stack of a couple of (cropped) images with a 135mm lens set at f4.
Nice, the anti-tail is really obvious and there is more than a hint of the ion tail too.

I've been clouded out since last Tuesday, in fact it's over two weeks since I got a reasonable look at the morning sky.
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martinastro
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« Reply #140 on: February 17, 2009, 04:01:05 pm »

Andy, excellent visual report and image. I really enjoyed reading about your first visual obsv of Lulin and can identify with you about Ikeya-Zhang, which was a vivid memory for me, and remains to this day one of the nicest comets I have seen since Hale-Bopp. You have picked up the anti-tail and subtle gas tail extremely well. Best of luck with the later processing.

Seen the comet this morning also and it was great. Have to get a few of my very poor images of the camera first so will post later.
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martinastro
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« Reply #141 on: February 17, 2009, 06:53:09 pm »



Observed comet Lulin before dawn this morning between 05.30 - 06.35 UT. I found it in an instant to the R of centre on an imaginary line between Spica and 51 Virginis using 10x50mm binoculars. The comet was very bright and large with a coma 20' in diameter. The last quarter Moon was visible in Scorpius and despite the lunar glare I was very impressed to see the comet easily with the naked eye with even a hint of green colour. Furthermore I could also see the central condensation without optical aid. I spent alot of time just admiring the comet with direct vision then turned the 8.5" F/7 reflector in its direction. In the wide angle eyepiece the coma was large, circular, and vivid green in colour with a soft edge (D.C: 5).  An intense white-coloured central condensation was visible with large diameter. Embedded at centre was a well defined active-looking false nucleus. I seen what I took to be three active jets in the form of fine linear streaks pointing out from the centre for some distance in several directions.

Both tails were faint with the anti-tail being the least impressive, or at least it looked that way in weak moonlight. The ion tail was 1 degree long and very broad with intricate structure. The tail itself looked to be split into two linear components with a dark division at centre. Covering over both segments was an impressive array of long streamers which where as long as the tail itself. With averted vision I thought there was something else projecting out from the ion tail at an angle which was not in line with the Sun, perhaps a disturbance from the solar wind or disconnection event?.  I began to make a sketch but soon haze and the glow from morning twilight washed the tails from the sky. Before this observation I had considered this comet to be a dud but after this session I'm really reconsidering my impression of it.  From a dark country site Lulin should be an easy naked eye object, a view which can only get better at close Earth approach. During the period of observation I noticed sigificant motion of the comet which was impressive. This is all the more notable when there's a bright field star near the coma. My 'guesstimate' is that Lulin may already be mag +5.6 or even brighter. Time will tell. I also watched the Moon occult the naked eys star 6 (Phi) Scorpii.

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martinastro
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« Reply #142 on: February 17, 2009, 08:33:19 pm »

Just had my mag estimate confirmed by another observer on spaceweather.com..nice to get the confirmation.
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« Reply #143 on: February 17, 2009, 09:12:47 pm »

Great reports and images folks.


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« Reply #144 on: February 18, 2009, 12:12:27 am »

Great images. Hope to have some clear skies in the morning for once. Hope to get an image or two.
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martinastro
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« Reply #145 on: February 18, 2009, 03:31:22 am »

Thanks guys.

Richard, best of luck tonight, I hope it clears for you. Completely overcast here so I will have to wait for another night.
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« Reply #146 on: February 18, 2009, 03:59:02 am »

and can identify with you about Ikeya-Zhang, which was a vivid memory for me, and remains to this day one of the nicest comets I have seen since Hale-Bopp.

I'm happy to know that a thread I started about Ikya-Zhang on another forum remains, to this day, the longest thread on that forum some seven years later. I find that sharing observing experiences with others on the net can be a big boost to a persons morale!


You have picked up the anti-tail and subtle gas tail extremely well. Best of luck with the later processing.

Cheers Martin. Processing is not my forte unfortunately. I played around with the image for the best part of two hours this evening til I was sick of it but only managed to subdue the uneven background at the expense of comet detail. Not to worry. Actually seeing it was definitely the major prize from last night, as it was with Ikeya-Zhang!

Very much enjoyed reading your very detailed report as well Martin. At what time did you take your shot BTW? When I looked at Lulin it appeared to be slightly more towards the right of the 'line' between Spica and 51 Virginis so my viewing it must have been slightly later than when your excellent image was take.. This comet is certainly a fast mover!

I also watched the Moon occult the naked eys star 6 (Phi) Scorpii.

Yes, I found out about this purely by chance as I see that it wasn't publicised in the source I use to fill in the 'Events' section here. By the time the occultation was under way, the sky had already completely clouded over (and still is as I type this). However my first-ever sighting of Lulin more than made up for it. I hope we are equally lucky when Lulin passes by Saturn and Regulus.
« Last Edit: February 18, 2009, 04:34:26 am by Big Dipper » Report Spam   Logged

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Andy
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« Reply #147 on: February 18, 2009, 03:26:16 pm »

Hi everybody. Now I have joined to other observers - have seen N3 Lulin last night for the first time!  Cheesy

The weather was a problem since December, but last night (Feb.17/18) was completely clear! - since 5PM yesterday till 9AM today.
You can see the forecast:
http://i43.tinypic.com/2n6utty.jpg

I had an observing session at 18-22 hours yesterday, before comet rise. Then I waited for the comet will reach ~15o altitude. I observed it between 00:40-03:00 - not simply seen the one, I observed it as much thoroughly as it was possible within a short time (I needed to get up today at 7AM).
Only emotions are in this post (not a report), because I've just came home from the university, and am very sleepy now. I will make the report later (maybe today), upload it on my site & elsewhere including here.

Embedded at centre was a well defined active-looking false nucleus.
Martin, these words have much encouraged me!  Smiley
I have seen a FN, it was like a faint star near magnitude limit (~11m), but it was barely visible and I thought it was my visual mistake. Now I'm sure that it was the one.

P.S. At the moment it is overcast here, but it will be possibly clear today near midnight, and the next night (Thu/Fri) will be clear again!  Smiley So at least one more observation this week is guaranteed... let the hot season start!  Cheesy
« Last Edit: February 18, 2009, 03:31:59 pm by Roman White » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #148 on: February 18, 2009, 03:49:19 pm »

Congrats Roman! im glad you finally got a peek  Wink

I think I'll have clear skies tonight, It's nice that it rises at 11pm here now Smiley
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« Reply #149 on: February 18, 2009, 04:06:38 pm »

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Now I have joined to other observers - have seen N3 Lulin last night for the first time!
Congratulations!

Been cloudy for a week here ... I wish I could see it again ... forecast is better for Thursday/Friday.
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