Images centred on stars.
Images centred on comet.
Orwell Astronomical Society (Ipswich)
Comet 168P/Hergenrother, 14 October 2012
In early October 2012, Comet 168P/Hergenrother brightened significantly and, by the middle of the month, was the brightest comet observable. At magnitude 9 it isn’t exactly bright, but it is certainly easier to find than had it been at its anticipated magnitude 15 (a difference in brightness of over 100 times). It is very well placed high up in late evening just leaving the top-left corner of the square of Pegasus heading north.
I imaged the comet on 14 October 2012 between 22:14 and 23:08 UT (after the rain cleared!) using my 30 cm F/4.3 reflector and MX916 CCD camera. The results are below. I stacked 24 x 30 second exposures, first centred on the stars, showing the motion of the comet at 1.56 arc-min/hour, PA 333°, and then centred on the comet, showing the stars trailed. The images are unfiltered. FoV is approximately 21x15 arcmin, north up.
Images centred on stars.
Images centred on comet.
Mike Harlow