Comet 22P/Kopff

Has anybody tried to observe/photograph this yet? The last few nights I've tried it's been far too hazy.

For people who want to see it, it's visible as a small fuzzy ball with a pair of decent binoculars (although it isn't very spectacular) as it's currently at mag. 8, it's an ok site even through a smallish telescope, too. To find out where it is at a certain time, log into Heavens Above and you'll see its name in the comets section.

Has anybody managed to photograph it?

Ostrom

-JammyDodger- wrote: »

Has anybody tried to observe/photograph this yet? The last few nights I've tried it's been far too hazy.

For people who want to see it, it's visible as a small fuzzy ball with a pair of decent binoculars (although it isn't very spectacular) as it's currently at mag. 8, it's an ok site even through a smallish telescope, too. To find out where it is at a certain time, log into Heavens Above and you'll see its name in the comets section.

Has anybody managed to photograph it?

Ill have to wait until the moon fully fecks off - does 0.798 AU place it between Jupiter and Mars?

efla

efla wrote: »

Ill have to wait until the moon fully fecks off - does 0.798 AU place it between Jupiter and Mars?

It would put it at that distance alright, yah. But, I don't know where in space it's located (I can't find a simulator or anything like that).

Stargate

-JammyDodger- wrote: »

It would put it at that distance alright, yah. But, I don't know where in space it's located (I can't find a simulator or anything like that).

-JammyDodger-

Do you know if theres a script for it to use in Stellarium like this one here for comet Lulin ???

http://www.astronomylog.co.uk/2009/02/10/find-comet-lulin-in-stellarium/

Many thanks -JammyDodger-

Regards
Stargate

murphyme

-JammyDodger- wrote: »

It would put it at that distance alright, yah. But, I don't know where in space it's located (I can't find a simulator or anything like that).

I went to the NASA small body viewer here
[HTML]http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi[/HTML]

and keyed in 22P/Kopff.

It returned an orbit diagram of
[HTML]http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?ID=c00022_0;orb=1;cov=0;log=0;cad=0#orb[/HTML]
This needs java.

The comet is close to the orbit of Mars.

Michael.

Stargate

Stargate wrote: »

-JammyDodger-

Do you know if theres a script for it to use in Stellarium like this one here for comet Lulin ???

http://www.astronomylog.co.uk/2009/02/10/find-comet-lulin-in-stellarium/

Many thanks -JammyDodger-

Regards
Stargate

I honestly don't have a clue. I don't use Stellarium, I (did) use Starry Night, I've to get around to reinstalling it one of the days.

murphyme's post pretty much answers the question, though.

murphyme wrote: »

I went to the NASA small body viewer here
[html]http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi[/html]

and keyed in 22P/Kopff.

It returned an orbit diagram of
[html]http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?ID=c00022_0;orb=1;cov=0;log=0;cad=0#orb[/html]
This needs java.

The comet is close to the orbit of Mars.

Michael.

That's brilliant Michael, thanks. Exactly what I was looking for.

Ostrom

-JammyDodger- wrote: »

I honestly don't have a clue. I don't use Stellarium, I (did) use Starry Night, I've to get around to reinstalling it one of the days.

murphyme's post pretty much answers the question, though.



That's brilliant Michael, thanks. Exactly what I was looking for.

Can you track that on the meade mount?

efla

efla wrote: »

Can you track that on the meade mount?

You can indeed. I'm not sure if it comes already in the database on the newer models, but you can (that's how I find it). I had to update my database on my Meade though, because it's a relatively old telescope.

Ostrom

Stargate wrote: »

-JammyDodger-

Do you know if theres a script for it to use in Stellarium like this one here for comet Lulin ???

http://www.astronomylog.co.uk/2009/02/10/find-comet-lulin-in-stellarium/

Many thanks -JammyDodger-

Regards
Stargate

Does the procedure work if you know the details of other bodies - are they available anywhere?

dbran

efla wrote: »

Can you track that on the meade mount?

Hi

You can indeed set it up on the autostar. You need to download the Autostar updater program (ASU) from the Meade site. www.meade.com

You then download the epermeris of the comet into the ASU and if you have the relevent Meade cables, connect the seriel port of your computer to the base of your Autostar and download the information. If your computer does not have a seriel port you may need to get a USB to seriel port adaptor.

But beware....if you have a 494 autostar (that is the one without the numerical keypad) if anything goes wrong in the middle of the transfer you will corrupt the software. As the 494 autostar does not have a safe load configuration it will be very bad news.

Much easier (and safer) is to use a program like stelarium or Carte de Ceil. These have a function to download the eperimes of the comet and can connect to the autostar via the relevant cables and goto any object. You will need to download Ascom drivers and the plugins for Meade to do this though. I have done this loads of times with Carte De Ceil, never used Stelerium.

But if this is too much hassle:) you can simply get the celestial corordinates and type them into the autostar manually.

The comet appears to be in Aquarius at the moment just below lamda Aquarius. It does not rise until 23.33hrs and sets at 9:59am. Culmination is at 4:45 am so an all-nighter for sure.

Who's on for trying to find it though

Regards

DB

Ostrom

dbran wrote: »

Hi

You can indeed set it up on the autostar. You need to download the Autostar updater program (ASU) from the Meade site. www.meade.com

You then download the epermeris of the comet into the ASU and if you have the relevent Meade cables, connect the seriel port of your computer to the base of your Autostar and download the information. If your computer does not have a seriel port you may need to get a USB to seriel port adaptor.

But beware....if you have a 494 autostar (that is the one without the numerical keypad) if anything goes wrong in the middle of the transfer you will corrupt the software. As the 494 autostar does not have a safe load configuration it will be very bad news.

Much easier (and safer) is to use a program like stelarium or Carte de Ceil. These have a function to download the eperimes of the comet and can connect to the autostar via the relevant cables and goto any object. You will need to download Ascom drivers and the plugins for Meade to do this though. I have done this loads of times with Carte De Ceil, never used Stelerium.

But if this is too much hassle:) you can simply get the celestial corordinates and type them into the autostar manually.

The comet appears to be in Aquarius at the moment just below lamda Aquarius. It does not rise until 23.33hrs and sets at 9:59am. Culmination is at 4:45 am so an all-nighter for sure.

Who's on for trying to find it though

Regards

DB

I'll try tomorrow night from pitch-black Kilkenny (cant wait to get out of Dublin) Not tonight, too cloudy and rainy

dbran

efla wrote: »

I'll try tomorrow night from pitch-black Kilkenny (cant wait to get out of Dublin) Not tonight, too cloudy and rainy

You lucky sod Cant even remember what a dark sky was.:D

DB

Stargate

efla wrote: »

Does the procedure work if you know the details of other bodies - are they available anywhere?

Id imagine if they worked for Comet Lulin efla theyd work for others if you have the ness info

Stargate