[BAA Comets] C/2012 S1 (ISON) this morning

[Andrew Robertson]

Hi Nick,

Good to know it wasn't just me. I was out observing at 5.15am with
astronomical dark ending for me at 5.22 am. I always knew it was going to be
a balance getting it high enough in a still darkish sky and with that almost
full moon still 30 degs up albeit at the oppositte end of the sky. But I was
still hoping it would be at least as good a view as I had on Friday morning.
At 5.15am I could see Spica but ISON was still too low (4 degs) so I had a
look at Lovejoy. Whilst I couldn't see it N/E with that moon up I just fell
over it in the 8.5 x 50 bins. In the 15 x 70 bins there was a large bright
nucleus with a thin tail about a degree long and a very nice view in my
Vixen 4" apo - this was worth getting up for in itself but Lovejoy will
still be there in a few days whereas ISON is fast dissappearing so back to
the main target.

I found it a 0538 (7 degs altitude) scanning the area with my 15 x 70's but
only after missing it on the first scan. I was expecting to fall over this
as well but no way, it was just a tiny slightly fuzzy star with no hint of a
tail. I did two or three takes comparing to other stars nearby just to
confirm I was on it. In the 4" apo, the nucleus was prominent but no hint of
a tail, just too low down in too bright a sky. In the 12" Mewlon, nucleus
very prominent with a hint of a stellar core. I could see a tenuous thin
wispy tail but less than half a degree long. By 6am it was starting to fade
in the brightening sky, so another look at Lovejoy before accidently
noticing Mercury as bright as anything N/E just a few degrees above the
horizon.

So ISON dissapointing compared to my expectations after my view only 4 days
earlier but still pleased to see one more time. Also very nice views of
Lovejoy and Mercury (which I could see had a gibbous phase when I put the
Vixen on it - didn't notice or even look for Encke nearby).

Your image Nick is a good reminder for me of my visuals this morning with
the nucleus being like the view in my 4" and the tail reminiscent of my view
in the 12" albeit not as long.

Andrew

-----Original Message-----
From: comets-disc-bounces at britastro.org
[mailto:comets-disc-bounces at britastro.org] On Behalf Of Nick James
Sent: 19 November 2013 07:04
To: BAA Comets discussion list
Subject: [BAA Comets] C/2012 S1 (ISON) this morning

Lovely clear sky here this morning but the view of this comet was
dissappointing compared to last Saturday morning. The very bright moon and
the comet's low altitude didn't help and it was much more difficult to find
than three days ago.

I took a set of frames at 200mm and 80mm and the comet is nowhere near as
prominent as on Saturday. A single 20s exposure taken at 0552 is here:

http://nickdjames.com/Comets/2013/tmp/20131119/IMG_9981.JPG

Spica is at the top right and the comet (with faint tail) is in the centre.

I'll have a go at stacking the frames this evening.

Nick.
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