Comet 21P approaches the North America Nebula

[JeremyS]

There is an interesting observing/imaging event coming up. Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner will be passing the bright emission nebula NGC7000 (the North America Nebula) in Cygnus between June 19 and June 21. There is an article about what you might see by the BAA Comet Section Director, Nick James, here.

There is also an observing tutorial on The visual observation of comets by Nick's predecessor, Jonathan Shanklin.

[MarsG76]

Thanks for the heads up, I hope it's visible from my latitude.

 

[Mr Spock]

Brightening to mag 6 by September. Must take a look at this one. I don't have the dark skies I used to have, so mag 13 is challenging, but I may be able to pick it up soon.

[alanjgreen]

Bagged it last night in big dob. It's big and bright and easy to see.

i used Nexus push-to and sky safari app to locate it.

 

[Davey-T]

 

1 hour ago, alanjgreen said:

Bagged it last night in big dob. It's big and bright and easy to see.

Must have another look then, took this a while ago, hardly big and bright then, single frame.

Dave

[alanjgreen]

1 hour ago, Davey-T said:

 

Must have another look then, took this a while ago, hardly big and bright then, single frame.

Dave

Oh yes, I did have my night vision attached  

[Scosmico]

I have seen it Thursday night and it was a bit hard to find. I found it at the end. It was an small fuzzy greenish blob at 60x on my 12" Dobsonian. 

[Davey-T]

Anyone seen this lately, first clear sky for a while tonight and it appears to have disappeared again, I can't find it anyway, found it easily last time I looked.

Dave

[andrew63]

I just had my first view of 21P around 11ish. tonight. It was fairly obvious in my 4" at 19x -  less than 2 deg. from 10 Cas. Just a smudge, but perhaps a bit brighter than 9 mag.

andrew

[Davey-T]

8 minutes ago, andrew63 said:

I just had my first view of 21P around 11ish. tonight. It was fairly obvious in my 4" at 19x -  less than 2 deg. from 10 Cas. Just a smudge, but perhaps a bit brighter than 9 mag.

andrew

Thanks Andrew, I'll go have another look now it's a bit darker.

Dave

[Littleguy80]

I grabbed another look at it tonight. Andrew’s description of the position is spot on. At low power it was still an easy spot to my eye. 

[Davey-T]

Found it eventually, didn't seem as bright as last time and no sign of a tail but the Moon was up by then and a bit of thin cloud interfering.

Dave

[andrew63]

It's a nice still night here. Just been looking at comet 21P again, forming a close triangle with two 10th mag. stars. It looks to have brightened a bit from a few nights ago. At 39x with a 4" a fuzzy haze with a hint of a  bright core. Saw a lovely bright orangey meteor around 10.45 below Ursa Major and a fainter one in Corona Borealis. 

andrew

[Mark at Beaufort]

Yes I viewed it for the first time last night in the 12" Dob and the 13mm Ethos. Its reasonably bright. Easily found by star hopping from  Gamma Cassiopeia up to star K and then to the right of stars 13 and 16. This was the first real time trying out my 80mm Finderscope - brilliant and I could see the Comet as well.

[John]

Got it with the ED120 tonight. Nice little comet between 3 stars right now. I guess it's around mag 8 ish ?

Picked up with an Aero ED 40mm SWA finder eyepiece but pops out much more with the 21mm Ethos.

 

[Scosmico]

It has brighten up in the last week. Much more obvious on the finder. At 108x 12" Dob (Lunar influence) the comet seems to have shown an undefined elongation coma/tail. Similar to the ones seen on previous apparitions. More like an elongated coma than a defined tail. 

[Davey-T]

It does seem quite variable, been observing / imaging it off and on for a few weeks and at times it has been bright enough to guide on in PHD and not other times.

After this week it will start diving down the sky thank goodness as the camera is close to hitting mount ATM

Dave

[Davey-T]

Just had a look at it and it's really bright tonight, brightest I've seen it, just started imaging it so hopefully it will stay clear for a while.

Difficult to estimate brightness as there's nothing close at hand to compare, it's by far the brightest thing in the FOV.

Dave

[Littleguy80]

Taking a look too, Dave. I agree that it’s at its brightest to date. I’m looking forward to seeing your images. I feel like the core is next to star of similar brightness. Almost looks like the core is split in two. 

[Davey-T]

Single frame from last night, trying to find time to process.

Dave

[John]

Interesting photo Dave

I thought I could see some elongation of this comet with my 130mm refractor last night and I think your image confirms my observation.

Thanks for posting

 

[S.A.M]

I was shown it on Saturday night (while viewings with members of SPOG ) thru a Starwave 6 " refractor, it was there but if I was looking for it I could easy miss it?  Lets hope it brightens a few more mag over the coming weeks.

Peter

[John]

Just picked the comet up with my TV Ranger 70mm scope. Not an obvious object by any means. If I'd not been looking carefully for it, I'd have probably passed it by.

 

[Davey-T]

40 minutes ago, John said:

Just picked the comet up with my TV Ranger 70mm scope. Not an obvious object by any means. If I'd not been looking carefully for it, I'd have probably passed it by.

 

Don't know if it's me or varying conditions but it seems brighter on some nights then dimmer, stuck my head out a couple of times tonight but too much cloud ATM.

Imaging it some nights it's been bright enough to guide on but not others.

Using 10"SCT.

Dave