2023a3 20240917 mmattiazzo

C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS on 2024 September 17 at 19:25UT using a C11 RASA f/2.2 + Canon 6D. iso1600 12x5sec. 3x2deg. North left from Swan Hill, Victoria, Aus
Visual estimate using 15x70mm binoculars was 4.3.
Dust Tail 20' in PA 245. Strongly condensed nucleus of DC8.
Observation made at start of nautical twilight and during full moon. Comet altitude 6 degrees.
Comparison star Delta Sextans (mag 5.2) at same altitude. No extinction correction applied.
Solar elongation 18 degrees.
In the close up image, you can see a secondary tail in PA 115 which is the dust trail (the tail seen during images taken in August) trailing the comet by up to a day.
Conditions are slowly improving, and the comet is brightening steadily as it approaches Sun (Sep 27) and Earth (Oct 12)

Page last updated: Wed 6 Nov 22:06:09 GMT 2024