Observation by Nick James: Comet C/2023 A3 rising from Chile

Uploaded by

Nick James

Observer

Nick James

Observed

2024 Sep 25 - 09:15

Uploaded

2024 Sep 25 - 11:34

Objects

C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS)

Equipment

iTelescope T70 (ASI2600 + Samyang 135mm FL lens

Exposure

11x60s

Location

Rio Hurtado Valley, Chile

Title

Comet C/2023 A3 rising from Chile

About this image

The magestic tail of C/2023 A3 rises above distant mountains in this timelapse of 60s exposures taken with a widefield camera in Chile. The comet comes to perihelion on September 27 and the prospects for a great display after conjunction starting around October 11 are good. The comet was at about 3 degrees above the true horizon when it cleared the mountains.

Files associated with this observation

2023a3_20230925_0915_ndj.gif (2.3 MB)

Like this image

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Comments

Grant Privett, 2024 Sep 25 - 12:48 UTC

What sort of length is the comets tail now?

That is a 2nd tail at 4 o'clock isnt it?

Nick James, 2024 Sep 25 - 18:00 UTC

The bright dust tail is at least 3 deg on that image but it goes out of the frame. I need to try a bit harder to get the camera centred on the tail next time. Yes, there is a faint dust fan to the right of the main tail and then another short, stubby tail to the lower right. I think this may be the gas tail but I need to check the geometry. I've put a stack of three images from this sequence here.

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