Astroblog: Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann's dim future

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann's dim future

Recent photometery of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann suggests the brightest component, Fragment C, will now only reach magnitude 4.5 or so. This is not as bright as earlier predictions of magnitude 3 to 2.5, but still respectable and easily seen from most sites where light pollution isn't too bad. The comet is still exciting though, Fragment B is apparently in outburst, and Fragement G appears to be splitting up. Go here for some nice images, including the G split, and here for the Fragment B outburst. Other very nice comet images are here.

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 9:41 pm

Comments:

I tried getting an image the other night, but bumped the scope out of alignment just prior to the attempt. My best guess to where it should be with a out of kilter scope wasn't quite close enough. Moon will be too bright next week, perhaps the week after.

# posted by