Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS

[josefk]

It's very much on my "todo" list @Nik271 but nothing to report yet - this direction and elevation needs special planning on my part (trees at my normal spot block the horizon in this direction till 10 or 15-degrees...)

[mcrowle]

No, I tried this morning too and my experience was identical. Also no sign on camera frames.

Regards, Mike.

[lguise]

Out with some members of Bedford Astronomical Society at a high point near Roxton east of Bedford.

Dave Eagle captured the comet complete with hints of the tail with his DSLR imaging rig, a Nikon D750 with a Sharspstar FNA 180. Even though we then knew exactly where to look none of us could see it in binos! There were just about 5 or so magic minutes when the comet was high enough to be out of the murk and before the sky became too bright.

I will not steal Dave’s thunder by posting his image, hopefully he will add it, it’s on his Facebook page.
 

It was near perfect conditions and a beautiful sky to start the day.

All the Best,

Linton

Edited September 28 by lguise

[Dave]

You could have posted it Linton. But here it is. 😁

[scotty1]

Would a scope with goto have the ability to find the comet , and make it easier to photograph in the dawn? 

[CentaurZ]

Long period Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is currently at magnitude +6.4 by JPL estimate. It reached a perihelion of 0.3915 AU on 2024 SEP 27. Based on JPL parameters, it is expected to peak at magnitude +5.8 on 2024 OCT 09. Some other sources are more optimistic.

The comet will pass 0.4723 AU from Earth on 2024 OCT 12. It was discovered on 2023 JAN 09 by a team of Chinese astronomers.

I’ve created two preview graphics and an ephemeris which can be viewed on my Comets webpage: https://www.CurtRenz.com/comets.html

Edited September 29 by CentaurZ

[Nik271]

Sure, with GoTo if it gets you within 1 degree of the comet you should then have an easier time spotting it. You would need some very wide field scope, ideally at least 5 degrees. 

For most of us at 50 degrees or more  North the problem is the weather and having daylight before the comet gets above the murk near the horizon. 

 

Observers further south report it at mag 2.5 today, it's getting brighter!

Edited September 29 by Nik271

[scotty1]

Sun grazer comet 

https://www.spaceweather.com/ 

 

[TiffsAndAstro]

Too low in east for me to even try. Looking in stellarium A3 will be moving up in the west Oct 12th onwards.

Hopefully it will be as bright by then.

[TiffsAndAstro]

20 hours ago, scotty1 said:

Would a scope with goto have the ability to find the comet , and make it easier to photograph in the dawn? 

You can probably look up comets Ra and Dec in stellarium and type them into Nina or similar.

That my plan in about two weeks time

[scotty1]

I don't have a scope, but was wondering about goto capability. 

[TiffsAndAstro]

28 minutes ago, scotty1 said:

I don't have a scope, but was wondering about goto capability. 

If A3 is in the Nina database(s) I have, and I can  spell the comet's name I can tell it to point at the comet.

If not, stellarium has A3 and I can look up it's Ra and Dec then type those into Nina tell it to point there.

In 2 or 3 weeks i should be able to image it, if it stays bright that long

Edited September 30 by TiffsAndAstro

[Geoff Lister]

Stellarium has A3 (at 06:40 tomorrow morning, from my location) as visual magnitude 1.7 (10 airmasses) amout 6 degrees altitude and 10 degrees to the right of the Moon. No chance with the local trees and expected cloud cover. I am still holding out for an evening view in 11 to 14 days time, clouds permitting.

Geoff

[TiffsAndAstro]

1 hour ago, Geoff Lister said:

Stellarium has A3 (at 06:40 tomorrow morning, from my location) as visual magnitude 1.7 (10 airmasses) amout 6 degrees altitude and 10 degrees to the right of the Moon. No chance with the local trees and expected cloud cover. I am still holding out for an evening view in 11 to 14 days time, clouds permitting.

Geoff

My plan also, but it means a lot of moon. Weather is rubbish probably too

[maw lod qan]

Just making sure I'm figuring correctly. 

Right now for a few more days this is a morning object for me at 27°.

A few more days in October it will be a low evening object.

I was hoping to set up on a local beach to have a great sky, but right now after Helene, no barrier islands are really open to non residents. 

[Paul M]

18 minutes ago, maw lod qan said:

Just making sure I'm figuring correctly. 

Right now for a few more days this is a morning object for me at 27°.

A few more days in October it will be a low evening object.

I was hoping to set up on a local beach to have a great sky, but right now after Helene, no barrier islands are really open to non residents. 

Yes, it's a morning object for the first few days of October, never getting very far from the dawn, then it's in conjunction with the sun in the days either side of the 7th October, after then it Climbs nicely into the evening sky after sunset for mid northern observers.

That might be my first opportunity to spot this one. 

[plyscope]

I have been up early to see the comet the last three mornings. From here in Perth Australia it is just visible naked eye. Better viewed through 10x50 binoculars. Expecting cloud/rain tomorrow.

[Paul M]

Just had a play with HNSky to see the evening circumstances for 10 days after conjunction.

 

[Geoff Lister]

Doing some more work with Stellarium, the actual magnitude and the airmass-reduced visible magnitude show that, for me, A3 will be of visually similar magnitude (1.9 to 2.16), at 19:20 [UTC+1], between the 13th & 17th, but the altitude will have increased from 8 to 19 degrees. On the 17th, A3 will have the same altitude as, and be 30 degrees left of, Arcturus.

T CrB  will be roughly between the two and 20-ish degrees higher, so if it could be persuaded to go nova at the same time......

Geoff

[Nik271]

Tomorrow morning is forecast to be clear. I'll give it a try with binoculars at 6:30am. The Comet will be just 4 degrees above the horizon at end of nautical twilight, so a tall order. It has been reported at magnitude 1.6 today so I might just be able to see something. With the weather we are having it's best to grab any chance of a clear sky when available.

[John]

The next two mornings are forecast clear here. I was up at 6:30 this morning but the cloud layer was thick and unyielding. East is not a good horizon for me though 🙄

[dd999]

Nothing but heavy clouds and rain. No break in the cloud 😒 - or I'd be up at 6am and out looking

Looking forward to the morning reports tomorrow.

Edited October 2 by dd999

[Nik271]

I looked with 10x50 binoculars from 6:15 to about 6:35 but could not spot it despite knowing the location from Stellarium. There is just too much haze on my horizon. The comet needs to get to negative magnitude to be readily visible in the morning.

[Geoff Lister]

This morning, the sky was about as clear as it could be. I knew that I stood no chance from my house or garden, so I took my 10x50s for a walk across a couple of fields. I thought I would be able to get a clear easterly view, but each time there was a tree in the way. When I finally got a decent view towards the rising Sun, the sky was too bright.

I did think that I had spotted A3's tail, but, on closer inspection, it was a short contrail with an aircraft where the core should be. Once I had lost a clear view of Sirius, I gave up.

Once home, running time backwards on Stellarium, it was showing A3, at 07:00, visual magnitude 1.35, with an altitude of 7 degrees, and almost directly below Regulus.

Geoff

[mcrowle]

I had a very clear morning too, and headed to the beach for a relatively unobstructed Eastern horizon. I was in position before the comet was due to rise, and was hoping to see the tail poking above the horizon!

What I did see was, well, nothing, at least with the naked eye or 7 x 50 binoculars, though I did start capturing A3’s head via a digital SLR camera and 135mm lens about 15 minutes after it rose. In the photos, barely a hint of tail can be seen in the bright twilight.

Regards, Mike.