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I’ve now had some clear evenings in the past fortnight. I suspect tonight’s is my final view from Ramsgate. Will forward observations to Nick James.
Not much luck with clouds on the Kent coast but I can’t remember the last time when a *bright* comet was circumpolar (from UK). Must be unusual timing and orbital geometry. Hoping for a favourable break in weather over next few days before full moon!
I would have thought a late one given the narrow QUA peak , but need to track back to see proximity to radiant. With recordings from a wide swathe of England & Wales there should be good flight trajectory to be calculated.
BBC reports satellites were lost. Expensive and embarrassing 🙁
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-64218883IMO flux graph is at https://meteorflux.org/rt#QUA
The is a flux graph at IMO
https://meteorflux.org/rt#GEMI saw post-occ at 0600 with small binocs through double glazed window. Mars not naked eye so close to Moon.
Very interesting. Though hasn’t Jean Meeus already done calculations like this? Or the BAA Computing Section?
The exhibition is at the Royal Albert Hall. Free entry.
Exhibition open days will be Thursday 29 September, Friday 7 October and Friday 21 October, 10am – 4pm.
https://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/events/2022/apollo-remastered/Sad news. I remember often seeing him round the Cambridge telescopes on clear nights. Obit on IoA site:
https://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/content/professor.roger.griffin.has.died.age.85Are any of the ‘Star Men’ left?
Also live stream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEHcZE4qcDE
Clear view from Neuquén province, Argentina, located in the west of the country, at the northern end of PatagoniaAccording to BAA comet info (JDS) the comet was discovered on 2020 Mar 27 so we have just 4 months of observations out of 4200 or 6800 years.
I suspect the ‘increase’ in orbital period is simply due to a longer arc of observations which has revised the orbital elements rather than genuine non-gravitational effects around perihelion.
According to in-the-sky the inclination is 129deg so the comet will hardly encounter planets for perturbations. And with semi-major axis at 364AU it will very quickly be well away from the plane of the solar system, plus very hard to detect!
Playing with in-they-sky’s orbit diagram, perihelion was ‘superior’ (and for all ‘inner’ planets). The comet passes through descending node outside Mars approx Oct 2020 which is well away from all the planets’ positions. So it’s a gravitational orbit till next perihelion!
Observed from 21:15-21:45 UT. Strong twilight. Comet picked up in 15x70B at 21:25 UT.
Naked eye with averted vision at end, despite very low altitude. Decent tail ~2deg.
Mag and coma estimates impossible due to strong twilight and no comp stars.
Glad to have photo. Taken at 21:45 UT. 50mm f/5.6 6s ISO 400.
Very low view. Lucky after cloudy evenings recently.
Mercury is level with Moon top centre.
Probably the last show from Venus after spectacular spring showing.
Am curious as to why Tuesday 28th rather than the much closer conjunction tonight (Sunday 26th).
Will try for a fourth monthly photo will the weather holds!Maggie Aderin-Pocock has a centre spread on current star and planet visibility. Bit basic for BAA members but could be useful publicity for children and novice adults to become interested.
Link to paid reading at https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/discover-the-joy-of-stargazing-in-the-time-of-coronavirus-qwqvk7d3r
