Observing Highlights 2013

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What our members have observed, photographed and sketched this year

Nov 15-22, 2013 - Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) from Metchosin & Victoria

Nov 15, 2013 - Bill Weir, our Observing Chair issues a challenge to members to observe five comets, which are all visible in the sky over the next few days: 2012 S1 (ISON) , 2013 R1 (Lovejoy), 2012 X1 (LINEAR), 2013 V3 (Nevski), 2P/Encke

All are visible early in the AM ( in essentially the same area of the sky) in the couple of hours before twilight. Who's up to the challenge? The charts are available here.

I'm planning to see if I can observe them all in one blitz Saturday AM from Taylor Beach. The other morning before work Lovejoy was an easy catch with binoculars from my backyard. The forest obscured the rest of the sky I needed. With the chance of clear sky holding on tonight it really presents the last good chance for awhile seeing as we are seriously into the brightest phases of the Moon.

The concept of potentially observing 5 reasonably bright is rather intriguing.

Bill Weir

Nov 16, 2013

RASC Victoria Centre: Charles Banville &emdash; Comet ISON

I got a glimpse of Comet ISON on Saturday morning.

It�s unfortunate that the moon was very bright. As a result the tail of the comet got washed out.

Charles Banville

I had a go with 10x42 binoculars starting around 4 AM this morning. Comet Lovejoy was visible from my backyard but by the time ISON and Encke were high enough to clear the nearby houses and trees the sky was too bright to see either one.

John McDonald

That�s great, John !! I tried to find ISON with my 12X50s (nr. Spica) after 5 AM this morning but no luck. Didn�t know about Lovejoy but will try again another morning. Had a nice ISS sighting, though.

Diane Bell

I managed 3, Lovejoy, 2012 X1 (LINEAR), and 2013 V3 (Nevski). Lovejoy was easy with my 15X70 binos and showed detail with my 6" dob @ 60X magnification. Linear and Nevski were much harder to see. The FOV were very easy to find but the actual comets were difficult due to the very bright Moon. There were times when I caught the Moon out of the corner of my eye or looked up from the eyepiece I though a car was driving down Taylor Road to the beach. Linear's field was especially easy because it was within a degree of Arcturus. Both of these comets were barely detected and looked like very small faint galaxies.

Like you stated John, by the time Ison and Enke would have been high enough the sky was a bit too bright. More of the problem though was the whole time I was out I was playing Peek a Boo with clouds passing though the sky. Then there was also the moisture over the ocean that combined with the intense light from the Moon made the area of Virgo like milk. If the Moon hadn't been so bright I believe Ison would have been visible. Where I was observing from you can see very far to the south east.

Diane, all of the information on these comets including magnitudes and charts is available on that "Comet Chasing" website. All 5 would be 6 inch telescope possible and 3 should be possible with those big binos of yours. With the bright Moon now only Lovejoy will be reasonable.

Bill Weir

Nov 21, 2013

I arrived at Taylor Beach again around 0550. This time along with my 15X70 binoculars I also had my 6 inch dobsonian telescope. Unfortunately a thin cloud bank hung over the Strait in precisely the area of the sky I needed to be clear. I got a very short break as the clouds drifted and made another observation with the binoculars. The tail and coma of the comet looked exactly as they did the day before but the core was noticeably brighter. Then the clouds snapped shut and I was shut out from then on. I did set up the 6 inch but never got to observe the comet with it. I waited until 0645 then had to head to work.

Now here's the rant. All the hype by the media (which is started by the scientific community) about the comet really bugs me. While I was sitting waiting for the clouds to drift, two cars drove up. One contained a 60+ish couple and the other contained a dad with his three young children who were all for sure under 10. All were there to see the comet. They all seemed to be under the impression that all they had to do was get out of the car and there emblazoned across the sky would be the "Naked Eye, Comet of the Century". I unfortunately was left with the task of breaking their bubble. At least before they left I was able to give a condensed lesson on comets and the kids I was able to show a very sharp view of Jupiter with my 6 inch scope as the seeing was excellent. I also left them with the reassurance that if the sky was clear the next morning at the same time they would be able to find me sitting in the open back of my Forester observing the comet.

Unless something dramatic happens I suspect this comet will not be like McNaught of 2007. Stay tuned.

Bill Weir

Nov. 22, 2013

RASC Victoria Centre: Bill Weir &emdash; Last Chance for ISON?Although I will give it one last shot tomorrow this morning was probably the last chance for our latitude to be able to observe the so called "Comet of the Century". I was back at Taylor beach again 15X70 binoculars and 6 inch dobsonian in tow. There was some haze but by about 0615 hrs Mercury had risen enough above the thick haze to think about having a go at it. The comet was just visible with the binoculars due to the brightening sky and haze. Still, thinking about the conditions I feel it is brighter than the day before so I switch to the scope. It didn't take long to sweep it up and very low power. I switch to an eyepiece that gave60X magnification and a 1.66� FOV. Although no tail was visible a nice bright core and fainter outer halo showed. At that point the couple that I have seen daily walking the beach came by so I showed them the comet. Then before I packed up we all had to leave for work, I gave them a quick show of the Moon and Jupiter.

 So will this be the last we see of this comet or will it survive the Sun? As it will now be dipped below the horizon I guess in a week or so we will know the answer. As I was about to depart the beach I balance my old cheapo point and shoot digital camera on the tsunami zone sine and snapped this parting shot at around 0635 hrs.  I've marked Spica, Mercury and the comet. Blown up it actually shows a dot in the circle.

I will be back at the beach for one more try Saturday morning but I'm not holding my breath on seeing it. Then again, you won't know unless you give it a go.

Bill Weir

Mar 16, 2013 - Comet Panstarrs (C2011/L4) from Victoria

Just got home from work and a later dinner downtown tonight. Headed out to the lot next door with the 12X50s and spotted Panstarrs !! Crazy-cold off Gorge Road but what a beauty of a comet. Hopefully these next few nights will be clear as well. Good luck and clear skies for the rest of you !!

Diane Bell

Mar 16, 2013 - Comet Panstarrs (C2011/L4) from the VCO Observatory Hill

Success! Malcolm, Charles, Bruno, and I met on the hill around 7:15pm. The weather, as I expected, turned favourable and the VCO was opened and the 14" was slewed to Pan-STARRS on the computer screen. We also set up our cameras outside on the pad. Nothing was visible for a while.

Then at 7:49pm, Charles let out a yell from inside; Malcolm, Bruno and I rushed in and there it was: Pan-STARRS!! At first look and given the relatively bright sky, the comet was very stellar-like. As the sky darkened, the coma appeared, and eventually the tail.

Both Charles and I imaged with our DSLR's through the 127, then returned outside to image with various lenses on out tripods. We photographed until the comet finally disappeared into a low cloud bank, and then set behind the Malahat.

The sky was wonderfully clear right when and where it needed to be, but the wind was strong and biting. Despite that, spirits were high and we finally got our chance to see comet Pan-STARRS after a frustrating, rain-drenched wait. It was magic!

Having done what we came to do, we closed up and were off the hill shortly before 9pm.

Sherry Buttnor & Charles Banville

Mar 31, 2013 - Comet Panstarrs (C2011/L4) & M31 Andromeda Galaxy from the VCO, Victoria

I observed Comet PanSTARRS C/2011 L4 from Victoria Center Observatory, along with some other RASC members. The Comet was low over the Malahat hills as observed from the VCO, but it was clear of the trees. The tail was quite spectacular in the binoculars. It was a wonderful bonus to observe M31 Andromeda Galaxy near to the Comet.

Joe Carr

Apr 1, 2013 - Comet Panstarrs (C2011/L4) from Mt. Tolmie, Victoria

Comet 2011 L4 is still visible, but fading. Caught it from Mt. Tolmie tonight. Met someone else who was looking for it and managed to steer him to the right spot. He was going to try and get a picture, hope it works for him.

Jim Cliffe

Mar 10-12, 2013 - Comet Panstarrs (C2011/L4) from Rodeo, NM, USA - John McDonald

Comet Panstarrs (C2011/L4)
Mar 10, 2013 - Comet Panstarrs (c2011 14) can be seen setting into the mountains near Rodeo NM. These composite images of 6 views of the comet show it as it sets behind the mountains near the Painted Pony Resort we are staying at. It was pretty exciting to see.

Comet Pan-STARRS (c2011 L4)
Mar 11, 2013 - Some of us went to a ghost town a ways north of the Painted Pony where the mountains to the west are lower, in order to get a look at the comet for a bit further into the evening. This is a composite image of the comet taken at half minute intervals.

Comet Panstarrs (c2011 14) and the New Moon from SW New Mexico
March 12, 2013

Of all the images I have taken this gave me the greatest thrill. It was a perfect situation as the moons bright lower limb went down first and the sky darkened noticeably and got quite red.

That led to many OOOs and AAH s from the assembled crowd and even a spontaneous ovation of clapping. I was shooting a sequence and my timer just caught this at the right moment so I was very lucky.

Mar 14, 2013 - Comet Panstarrs (C2011/L4) from Ukiah, CA, USA

All week long my wife and I have been jumping our way down the west coast from Victoria. Man can those Americans make the fog thick. I was beginning to think my chances at the comet would be a washout. Today we turned inland and stopped for the night in Ukiah. It had been overcast during the day but when we came out from a nice dinner my wife pointed out the lovely thin crescent Moon in a fairly clear sky. I pointed out how the comet would be behind that mountain range to our west. When we got to our hotel though I noticed how much more space was visible between the Moon and the horizon. I abandoned my wife to let herself into the room and grabbed my 15X70 Skymaster binos out of the trunk the car.

I wandered around the area a bit searching for the best view to the west and ended up in some sort of a parking lot but it still had a few of those awful unshielded yard lights. Lining up on the horizon and the curve of the Moon it didn't take long to sweep up the comet. Rather pretty I'd say. The bino view very much reminded me of the naked eye view of McNaught a few years back. If I blocked the light of those two yard lights I could just make out the core of the comet naked eye. My excitement at seeing the comet seemed incomplete as I had no one to share it with. Looking around I manage to spot one guy getting off late from work at a realty office across the street. He was good enough to respond to my wave and call of, "want to see a comet?".

It took him a while using my directions to find the comet, (should have brought my tripod from the car) but eventually he did and seemed quite grateful I'd shown it too him. When I got the binoculars back it was just in time to watch the head then tail set into the hills. That was almost the coolest part of watching. So that's a successful sighting from Ukiah California for Bill and Josh.

Any more sightings of this comet to me would just be gravy although if I get another chance tomorrow night from Redding that would be nice. Perhaps it can be from the park at the Sundial Bridge.


Bill Weir
 

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Last updated: January 29, 2014

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� 2014 Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Victoria Centre
All text and images are Copyright their respective owners
Victoria Centre adheres to our National Privacy Policy
Website: archive.victoria.rasc.ca - Contact us

RASC Victoria Centre does not endorse nor is responsible for the content of external websites. External links will open in a new window.
Last updated: January 29, 2014

The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada is dedicated to the promotion of astronomy and its related sciences; we espouse the scientific method, and support dissemination of discoveries and theories based on that well-tested method.

Web hosting & email services provided by Matthew Watson