Comet C/2020 F8 SWAN

[CentaurZ 461]

Comet C/2020 F8 SWAN was discovered on March 25 by use of the SWAN camera aboard a European satellite.

Based on JPL orbital elements, I calculate that its magnitude will peak at +8.9 on May 15. Although comet brightness predictions can vary significantly from eventual readings.

Below are two charts that I created. Photos and descriptions of the comet would be welcome additions to this thread.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 1, 2020 by CentaurZ

[Owmuchonomy 2,504]

I was catching up on this here at breakfast: https://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=161451.  The suggestion in the article is that it is around mag 7 or 8?

[CentaurZ 461]

7 hours ago, Owmuchonomy said:

I was catching up on this here at breakfast: https://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=161451.  The suggestion in the article is that it is around mag 7 or 8?

What is your estimate of its current magnitude?

[Owmuchonomy 2,504]

3 minutes ago, CentaurZ said:

What is your estimate of its current magnitude?

I have no idea. The picture and data in the link above were captured recently in Namibia.

[John 35,569]

c2020 F8 Swan is in Sculptor at the moment at magnitude 7.8 according to "The Sky Live":

https://theskylive.com/c2020f8-info

[CentaurZ 461]

5 hours ago, John said:

c2020 F8 Swan is in Sculptor at the moment at magnitude 7.8 according to "The Sky Live":

https://theskylive.com/c2020f8-info

What is your estimate of its current magnitude?

[jonathan 642]

What instrument would you say is best under reasonably dark skies to see this comet?  I have a 70mm travel scope, 70mm bins, and the others in my signature.

Wanted to see ATLAS but alas things conspired against me on that one.

Edited April 24, 2020 by jonathan

[Davey-T 18,233]

Nexstar should get it if you put the co-ord's in, don't think it's visible from UK yet.

Dave

Edited April 24, 2020 by Davey-T

[John 35,569]

1 hour ago, jonathan said:

What instrument would you say is best under reasonably dark skies to see this comet?  I have a 70mm travel scope, 70mm bins, and the others in my signature.

Wanted to see ATLAS but alas things conspired against me on that one.

Currently, a telescope that is located quite far south

 

[verreli 35]

Give it a couple more weeks and it'll be visible in the UK and its magnitude should be moving into the naked eye range [usual comet caveat applied].

[verreli 35]

Swan currently at Mag 5.5 so naked eye visible and brightening.  Still not visible from the UK.  Will it last until 22nd May and the new moon?

[Paul M 4,679]

Looks like Swan has potential May into June as a circumpolar object.

A midnight spectacle?

[Scosmico 170]

close to Capela, 2nd of June

Edited May 2, 2020 by Scosmico

[Scosmico 170]

There is a live on youtube tomorrow 8h30 AM BST from Astroneos, Brazil. The same group who have discovered some comets and asteroids recently. Comet Jaques, 2019 OK and others. 

Latest reports Magnitude 5.1. Coma 10".

https://youtu.be/8-xlAL7uKno

Today's live is still happening.

Brazilian portuguese though. But everybody speaks astronomy.

[Merlin66 2,194]

It seems to be putting on a reasonable show from Australia.

Early morning object visible in Bino’s....

 

[fireballxl5 640]

it's a beautiful comet

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200429.html

[Craney 2,438]

One thing that comes around more often than a comet...... is the hope of a good comet display !!

Fingers crossed for this one.  

[Fozzie 2,646]

4 hours ago, Craney said:

One thing that comes around more often than a comet...... is the hope of a good comet display !!

Fingers crossed for this one.  

That and someone asking if it's going to hit us or if it is in fact nibiru...

Bet you'll get a decent view from brimham rocks or Sutton bank, lock down depending 

[Craney 2,438]

6 minutes ago, Fozzie said:

Bet you'll get a decent view from brimham rocks or Sutton bank, lock down depending 

Hope so.   

Brimham is good looking North  at night for Aurora and Noctilucents  because there is not much habitation thereabouts. North East should be good.

Never been to Sutton Bank on a night /  early morning. I wonder if it's relative altitude might open issues from York to the South. 

Still if the comet is  'better than average'   (note suppressed enthusiasm not to tempt fate)  it would be worth a trip out. 

Have already been in the garden mapping out where the comet will be in a month or so time.    Might have to take the roof off  !!!!  

 

[Pete Presland 11,373]

There are some stunning images doing the rounds at the moment, hoptefully it will give us a little show at least later in the month. Going to be difficult to view it if the lockdown is going on though from my garden.

[Paul M 4,679]

I'm getting quietly excited but I expect twilight will take it's toll on our experience. 

[Pete Presland 11,373]

5 minutes ago, Paul M said:

I'm getting quietly excited but I expect twilight will take it's toll on our experience. 

yes definitely, might have a tail pointing up from the horizon perhaps.

[Paul M 4,679]

11 minutes ago, Pete Presland said:

Going to be difficult to view it if the lockdown is going on though from my garden.

That's a valid point. My northerly horizon is barely workable from home but I do have some high vantage points from work (I work a split of day/night shifts) where I can see across the town to a seaward horizon to the west and the Cumbrian fells to the north. Not anywhere I could get a telescope but I've been up there with bins many times.

[Pete Presland 11,373]

2 minutes ago, Paul M said:

That's a valid point. My northerly horizon is barely workable from home but I do have some high vantage points from work (I work a split of day/night shifts) where I can see across the town to a seaward horizon to the west and the Cumbrian fells to the north. Not anywhere I could get a telescope but I've been up there with bins many times.

An hours "exercise" at the 3:30am, i could easily peddle to a decnt view in 10 minutes. I think things will be little more flexible in 3 weeks though. 

[verreli 35]

Still a week to go before SWAN is visible from the UK but the light curve is doing strange things.  From a peak of Mag4.7 it's now down to Mag5.7.  That's a 2.5x decrease in brightness despite getting closer to the sun and earth.  Is it going to fizzle out?...  Comet chasing is a frustrating sport.