COMET C/2022/ E3 (ZTF) - UPDATE

[paulastro]

Now apparently mag 7.5 and forecast to become mag 5. Visible now in the morning sky and on database of SkySafari Pro and Celestron StarSense Explorer App.

http://aerith.net/comet/weekly/current.html

 

Edited January 2, 2023 by paulastro

[Fegato]

Yes should be really good this month. Just need a bit of clear sky, and I've not had much of that in the last 2 months...

[Guest]

No clear skies in Ohio to see it

[mdstuart]

I waited and waited for it to rise in the North last night. 

Finally I could just see it in 15 x 70 binoculars but it was very faint. About mag 7/8.

Got the 8 inch dob on it. Now I could see it. No sign of a tail but good to have a good view of it.

I am sure it was tough partly due to the low 7% altitude and it will get easier as it gets higher and you won't have to wait until after midnight to see it!

Mark

[Captain Scarlet]

I downloaded the latest Ephemeris from JPL yesterday to overlay onto my sky mapper and it’s saying that after all it won’t get brighter than about 7.8 . Shame

[Astrobits]

Diffuse objects have a perceived brightness depending on magnification and sky conditions/light pollution. The latest mags ( from COBS ) for C/2022 E3 (ZTF) are 6.5 - 6.8 with 10 x 50 bins but 7.8 with a 12" scope. You will need the comet to be higher and in dark skies to see the fainter outer areas of the coma.

Nigel

[scotty1]

I had a brief look about 6am with bins but couldn't find it, then the clouds arrived. 

Why would it have a brighter mag in 10x50 bins, rather than a 12" scope? I would of thought the other way round. 

[maw lod qan]

Wednesday morning I got out with my binoculars and could see it as a nice fuzzy ball but no tail.

It didn't help the moon was very bright.

Today is cloudy with rain. After tomorrow I'm off all week, hopefully things will work out.

[Jonk]

I'm looking forwards to this one.

I've chosen my camera and lens / scope combos already and hope for good weather on those dates!

This one is due south using a full frame / 85mm combo

[tooth_dr]

I’ve a clear forecast from 4am tomorrow morning. Is the best time as late as possible?  It’s in bootes?

[Muc]

This is the latest position according to Stellarium

 

[mdstuart]

Just look for the map on skyhound on line  copy attached.2022_E3.pdf

mark

[tooth_dr]

12 minutes ago, mdstuart said:

Just look for the map on skyhound on line  copy attached.2022_E3.pdf

mark

That’s very useful Mark. The end of the handle of the plough is just visible so definitely one for late late 

[tooth_dr]

16 minutes ago, Muc said:

This is the latest position according to Stellarium

 

Thank you. 

[tooth_dr]

Worth getting up for 👍🏻

 

[paul mc c]

Yip..

[Cagliostro78]

Hi, after finding this comet on starsense app, in the last few days I cannot find it anymore. I cannot find any C/2022 objects, trying C/2021 it works. Any ideas?
thanks in advance

[paulastro]

9 hours ago, Cagliostro78 said:

Hi, after finding this comet on starsense app, in the last few days I cannot find it anymore. I cannot find any C/2022 objects, trying C/2021 it works. Any ideas?
thanks in advance

That's strange, I located it fine in the 8inch StarSense Explorer dob this morning, searched for c/2022 and it was on the list of comets that came up. Took me straight to it.  I don't see how the app can change or work for one person and not another - but then I'm no techy.  Sorry zI can't help.

[Astro_Dad]

I’ve just tried in my SS app and C/2022 shows up on my list no problem. Not that that solves the problem here, but thought I’d check. 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Spotted the comet this morning easily with my Helios LightQuest 16x80 mm bins, then got out the Zeiss Victory SF 10x42 mm and it was also an easy target. Swung over to M13, and the size and brightness were very similar, with the comet somewhat elongated, and a bit more diffuse. I would put the comet at magnitude 6 or so.

[andrew63]

A first binocular view of C/2022 E3  tonight in 10x50s, still low down just before midnight - looked like an extended smudge. Looked in the 4" refractor, a bright nucleus x19 and at x40 a bit more of an extended structure. A good transparent sky also, I took this photo over Orion with iPhone.

[Stu]

No luck the morning. It was crystal clear last night, but at 6am there was a layer of thin cloud, so no chance of finding it. Had a consolation prize of a beautiful crescent Moon, so I popped the scope out anyway to have a look at that. Will keep trying.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Finally managed to image it, using my APM 80 mm F/6 triplet with 0.8x reducer, and ASI182MC-Pro. Here is a quick process of about 5 minutes worth of data. The comet is alreadt slightly smeared. Will try a better stack, ideally of all 30 minutes worth.

[Malpi12]

Hi all, thamks for all the heads-ups, it got me moving !
 I had this one on my to-do list for later in the month when it would get above my obstcles. However, last night (17/18 Jan) about 12:30am I thought best check out my eastern view in preparation and took some  East and NE shots with a 28mm lens on my Canon 60D
I was surprised at seeing Bootes allready above my neighbour's garage, and when I later stacked the 25 8sec subs I found C/2022/ E3 (ZTF) lurking in the noise at the edge of frame !

It will not win any apod ! but, not to waste a serendipity I used it to check out its almost star-like magnitude against Stellarium mags.
Between 7.5 & 8.1 as others have already found  Just above it averted imagination shows a close 10mag star and I fancy there is a bit of extended coma to the left and above-left of it ??

[markse68]

On 17/01/2023 at 07:16, Astro_Dad said:

I’ve just tried in my SS app and C/2022 shows up on my list no problem. Not that that solves the problem here, but thought I’d check. 

Edit- been an idiot- it is there if you type it in right  And I saw it- very very faint averted vision and I wouldn't have found it without Starsense but it was there I'm sure, just below and right of the red star HD139920 (newt view)

Mark

 

Edited January 19, 2023 by markse68