Possible discovery - Logged with BAA minor planets and comet sections

[NickH]

NOt yet... those are compiled jpegs, as a preview, the blob is a background star in the first few images

[RichieJarvis]

Hmmm - I think I might have to borrow a chainsaw.... Yonder trees are in the way

[Psychobilly]

like TJ can we have RA and DEC please?

Peter

[RichieJarvis]

According to the latest download from the MPC into Cartes Du Ciel v3:

Comet

C/2007 Q3 (Siding Spring)

2010-03-27 19h48m28s

Magnitude: 11.2

Phase: 19 °

Distance: 2.4783au

Solar Distance: 2.9561au

Estimated tail length: 0.00au

ref: 2/2010-01-04

Coordinates: Apparent TopoCentric

Apparent RA: 15h23m22.35s DE:+59°12'13.8"

Mean of the date RA: 15h23m19.91s DE:+59°12'36.1"

Mean J2000 RA: 15h23m06.24s DE:+59°14'45.7"

Ecliptic L: +183°59'41" B:+71°05'25"

Galactic L: +94°31'13" B:+48°40'03"

Visibility for observatory:

South Chailey 2010-03-27 19h48m28s ( GMT )

Universal Time: 2010-03-27T19:48:28 JD=2455283.32533

Local Sideral Time:08h08m55s

Hour Angle: 16h46m

Azimuth:+35°59'

Altitude:+34°21'

Circumpolar

Culmination: 3h06m +81°44'

[Psychobilly]

Might just slide the roof off then....

Well i would do apart from the fact its gone from clear to total cloud with low mist in the last 30 mins

[RichieJarvis]

Bah! It looks like its clearing from you to me (west to east) Peter according to the satellite pics...

Alas, I was right - C/2007 Q3 Siding Springs is currently behind the trees - however, give it a couple of hours, and it might just start-a-peeking out Of course, its in completely the opposite direction to the moon, so 60 second subs with the C8 might do it... Will report back if I get anything later on.

Good luck comet hunting all!

Cheers,

Richie

[NickH]

Go on calsky and set your location, then select comets, and you'll get ridiculousty good RA and DEC (see the images from FT today with a 5 arcmin FOV...)

[RichieJarvis]

Did the article ever get into the Times Nick? I had a look online today, but couldn't see anything....

[NickH]

not sure...it made every other paper (Nagoya in Japan even), but not sure... they phoned me twice... so I guess they will/have run it

[NickH]

Dataset from the 27th showing multiple fragments...

Seperation of primary and secondary now well within grasp of the MN190

[RichieJarvis]

Wow! Great capture Nick Is that 4 pieces now (inc the original comet nucleus?)

[beamish]

If you've got SN & update the comets etc it'll show up

[NickH]

Have logged the new pieces with the IAU/MPC.. if they confirm, I think they will be the first in the world

[NickH]

IAU autoack no errors :-)...could this be fragment c etc confirmed?

Fingers crossed

[Tim]

Got it:) i'll do more subs later when its higher. Is it passing a small faint star right now? Or is that the broken off bit? Damnit Nick this is very distracting! :)

[NickH]

TJ wait until about midnight...should be good then

Not sure your FOV, but it is near a star right now

http://www.calsky.com/cs.cgi

Put in your location and select comets...then siding spring, and then FOV limit to your field..

[NickH]

TJ,...this is a 2arcmin FOV right now (22:07UT)

http://www.calsky.com/observer/tmp/tmp85399686828362.jpg

[NickH]

Here's the colour image from today, now that the science observations have been submitted

[Tim]

Thanks Nick, clouding up now but i'll look properly when laptop comes in from obs, on phone access atm

[NickH]

How did it go Tim?

If you want any help with submitting or splitting the secondary, let me know... (if you want to submit your data to the IAU that is). They are keen on as many follow on observations as possible which show the split

[NickH]

Is the rotational gradient processing showing a secondary jet?

[RuiBranco]

Hello NickH,

sure is a second jet

also did the test with rotational Gradien and gave this result 200310

[NickH]

Excellent Rui, thank you for this

[Casus belli]

Coo this is all very exciting isnt it? Well done Nick, fantastic work.

[NickH]

It's very exciting indeed. The team at FT have been immense with all of this too. Have lots more to do, and more observations to make, and a possible research paper to write now.