Lovejoy C/2014 Q2

[Qualia]

Cold but clear skies last night, so late after work I figured I would sketch Comet Lovejoy. The Moon's glare has probably washed away the comet's tail - if it is even possible to view - but the comet itself shone like a spectacular DSO with quite an intense brightening at its core.

I spent a while with the comet, moving between the 10" and 3" and made sketches from both scopes. Due to the light from the waning Moon, I couldn't really discern any more detail from the larger scope and certainly couldn't see that haunting glow of emerald green seen in many images.

Hopefully, I will have a few more opportunities to view the comet and in darker conditions, for I think Lovejoy is now receding into the cold distance of space, gradually fading from view. The issue comes a little more pressing, when we take into account that its orbital period is roughly between 8,000 and 12,000 years. The last time Lovejoy Q2 passed Earth, we as a species had moved from the caves and had begun building the very first cities and those wooly ice-age giants were dying out. Let's hope we're around to see the next one .

The sketch is a composite. I made the sketch of the comet and star positions out in the field but back home after scanning the image, I didn't think it properly revealed what was actaully seen at the eyepiece. So, I cut the comet from the sketch, blurred it a little and then added the stars.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very nice sketch, Rob

[Qualia]

Thanks Michael. It was a nice evening and hopefully I'll be able to view this night  with a little less Moon

[Special K]

Nice report and sketch, which is certainly representative of how it looks in the EP. It's got that fuzzy coma with a bright nugget in the center!

We're socked in with weather in the UK but hoping for a break soon. Weather permitting, I think there are plenty of opportunities in January and looking forward to seeing it higher and with less moon. I might have to take a little drive out somewhere darker for this one.

[Chris]

Excellent write up and work put into the image Qualia

I'm hoping to capture this tonight if the rumors are true about a small gap in the clouds.

[Qualia]

Thanks for the kind comments, Chris and Kevin I was out last night, and this time without the glare of the Moon, I'm convinced I could discern the misty blue-green hue of Lovejoy.

[Grotemobile]

Excellent write up and work put into the image Qualia

 

I'm hoping to capture this tonight if the rumors are true about a small gap in the clouds.

 

Just looked at the forecast,& there should be

a gap tonight, hopefully.Just dug out the 35

year old scope.

Steve

[RodexMtl]

Excellent sketch, review and historical background! Indeed, I knew that this comet period was of 8000 years, but I didn't stop to think where were we....and that gives a better sense, a better underatanding of our place in the cosmos, and the size of the numbers we are talking about...

Unfortunately, the winter weather is hitting Montreal and Canada's east cost heavy since 2 weeks ago. I just saw the comet once with my binoculars when it was still in Lepus. I really hope to have a chance in the following days to at least try to make a sketch of it before it fades away

[Helix]

Excellent sketch. Sketching is my Achilles' heel. Not easy to sketch when it is so cold.

My astronomy friends and I saw C/2014 Q2 with naked eyes tonight. Very bright! Mag. is about 4. Also we looked at the comet through different sizes telescopes and binoculars. Beautiful object with obvious green hue. The comets tale was quite easy to resolve in the eyepiece (Pentax 20mm XW +10" dob).

Thanks, Qualia, for sharing your inspiring report.

Regards,

Helix

[Tot]

I'd never seen a comet before so looked tonight.  Using 20 x 80 binos it was easily found.  Surprised by how bright and large it is!  Shame I couldn't see any tail, but the big grey/greenish blob was still a joy.

[Scooot]

Lovely sketch Rob, I've just come in from looking at it for the first time tonight, just like your drawing. Even Jane came out to have a look. I couldn't see a tail either, the moon was beginning to wash it out a bit but I'm not sure I would have seen the tail even if it was darker.

[Qualia]

Thank you for your kind messages, Helix and Richard Glad you both had a great evening and caught Lovejoy. Certainly a spectacular looking DSO and one can appraciate seeing such things why Messier began his little journal of 'false-comets'. I agree that the colour is easily discernable but the tail seems rather elusive, at most I think I've seen a smudging to one side. 

[DrRobin]

That is a fantastic piece of work Rob, you have to look twice to make sure it isn't a photo. If I compare your sketch to the view through my guidescope (I have a camera on a 50mm finder) it looks very similar, almost the same view so I would say you have captured it very accurately.

I am sure your sketch will inspire more people to get out there and look at it than all of the great shots taken with a large scope and expensive digital camera as it makes it accessible to more people.

Robin