2022e3 20230130 1857 pabel

Hi all,

We had clear skies for a time here this evening and I made an observation of comet C/2022 E3 ZTF (attached).  The first drawing shows how it appeared at x150 in my 12" Newtonian.  The second drawing contains star labels to help identify the field.

I had a go at estimating the comet's visual magnitude which was tricky due to drifting high cloud.  Anyhow, the only decent comparison star I could find was HR3082 which is listed as Mv= 5.4 which was pretty close to the comet's magnitude.  Alas, it was located outside the telescopic field of view which means that the comet's appearance essentially has to be memorised.  I made two estimates at 1901UT:

Estimate 1:  54-2, Mv= +5.6

Estimate 2:  54-0, Mv= +5.4

Taking the average I estimate at 1901UT the comet was about Mv~5.5.

Thick clouds started to appear not long after, and I just got a Mars observation before I was clouded out.

Cheers,
-Paul
-----
Dr. Paul G. Abel, 
Lecturer in Theoretical Physics.
School of Physics & Astronomy,
University of Leicester,
University Road,
Leicester UK, LE1 7RH.