So yes, I know the satellite trails can be processed out of the comet image I shared earlier. Here's a fully processed version showing Comet Pons Brooks on the evening of 4th May. The comet was very low in the sky from New Zealand at the time the images from which this composite has been assembled. #comet#ponsbrooks#NewZealand
https://www.seti.org/keeping-eye-comet-a3-next-naked-eye-comet-candidate
In early 2023, a new comet took stargazers by surprise. Called Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinan-Atlas), this icy visitor was discovered by two separate observatories in South Africa and China. Comet A3 had scientists and amateurs alike wondering if it would be the next naked-eye comet to light our skies. As 2024 unfolds, we eagerly anticipate whether Comet A3 will deliver the breathtaking celestial display we have all been hoping for!
#PPOD: In dark evening skies over June Lake, northern hemisphere, planet Earth, Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks stood just above the western horizon on March 30. Its twisted turbulent ion tail and diffuse greenish coma are captured in this two-degree wide telescopic field of view along with the bright yellowish star Hamal also known as Alpha Arietis. Credit: Dan Bartlett via APOD
Here is another picture of Comet Pons Brooks from last night. This was taken by merging/median combining 35 images taken using a 93mm refractor to remove the shitty Starlink satellites. The ion and dust tails from the comet are clearly visible as is its green coma! #astronomy#NewZealand#comet#cometponsbrooks
WOW! Comet C/12P Pons-Brooks was epic this evening. Visible to the naked eye from Strath Taieri. This is a single shot as the comet was setting behind some clouds! Its altitude was under 2 degrees! #comet#NewZealand
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks will be visible in binoculars in the coming days. The comet is very low above the horizon in the west just after sunset and can be seen below the "Y" of the Hyades and the star below them in the constellation of Taurus. The comet had a recent outburst and is responsible for some of our meteor showers.
#Comet#12P#PonsBrooks (very faintly visible, upper left) over the #Moon last night. This is a somewhat fake composite of 100 4 second frames, aligned separately on the stars, moon and foreground. Too close to twilight to get much of the comet
#Comet#12P#PonsBrooks (bottom center) below the #Moon last night, a bit later, more exposure and more frames than the previous shot. Again somewhat fake: Composite of the same stack aligned separately on the moon and stars.
Also visible: #Jupiter, Callisto, Ganymede, maybe Europa if you squint at the glare around Jupiter, and #Uranus (relatively bright blueish object almost directly above Jupiter) #Astrophotography#Astrodon
#PPOD: How does a comet tail change? It depends on the comet. The ion tail of Comet 12P/Pons–Brooks has been changing markedly, as detailed in the featured image sequenced over nine days from March 6 to 14 (top to bottom). Reasons for tail changes include the rate of ejection of material from the comet's nucleus, the strength and complexity of the passing solar wind, and the rotation rate of the comet. Credit: Shengyu Li & Shaining via APOD
Here is another picture from tonight's road trip to photograph comet Pons-Brooks. Bit of a challenge actually. 1-hour drive, 2 telescopes to set up, and the bloody comet would just be 2 degrees high an hour after sunset. But there was nothing on TV so why not. #Comet#Astronomy#NewZealand
I went out last night to go on a comet-chase. Nope. It was too low and cloudy. I did manage to find the moon, though. Story of my life. Look for a comet, find the moon! #moon#comet