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

Tue Nov 19 11:39:44 GMT 2013

Cheers Denis, couldn't have said it better myself re the joy of getting
these precious views of comets. I ordered a pair of Helios 28 x 110
observation binoculars last week with all these comets in mind but they
haven't arrived yet. Hope ISON does survive perihelion - should be fantastic
in those if it does :-)

ATB,
Andrew 

-----Original Message-----
From: comets-disc-bounces at britastro.org
[mailto:comets-disc-bounces at britastro.org] On Behalf Of DENIS BUCZYNSKI
Sent: 19 November 2013 11:03
To: BAA Comets discussion list
Subject: Re: [BAA Comets] C/2012 S1 (ISON) this morning

Hi Andrew,
Great report of this mornings viewing. Glad you could see in the comet
binocs. At least it is still in exsistence.I think that the combination of
the heavy extinction at low altitude, the bright moonlight and encroaching
dawn, alongside the still small coma diameter of ISON makes the comet look
much less impressive than Lovejoy (at the moment). If it was possible to see
ISON at the same altitude as Lovejoy it would look a whole lot different to
the eye. There may not be many more views before it is in the glare of the
Sun at perihelion, so yours was a precious view as was Nick's image. I know
we all want a brilliant comet blazingly bright in the dawn and dusk skies,
and the later may yet happen for us. Just to be able to witness what is
actually happpening to the comet, no matter how great or apparently feeble,
is fantastic and the part of the whole esssence of why we enjoy our persuit
of astronomy as a way of life, not just a hobby that can be picked up  and
put down at will. Our obsessive behaviour is rewarded with views of Nature
at its grandest. Keep up the morning vigil, by Xmas we may well have been
rewarded.
Best wishes
Denis

>________________________________
> From: Andrew Robertson <alphacentauri at tesco.net>
>To: 'BAA Comets discussion list' <comets-disc at britastro.org>
>Sent: Tuesday, 19 November 2013, 7:58
>Subject: Re: [BAA Comets] C/2012 S1 (ISON) this morning
> 
>
>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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