wpo - Comets 2003-4

Linear C/2002T7: P2 Encke: C/2001Q4 [NEAT]: C/2003K4[Linear]

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2004 Jun 13/18: Comet Linear [C/2003 K4] imaged initially in hazy conditions near Vega but clear skies for next image plus OG prism spectrum.

2004 May 21-23 Comet NEAT rising ever high above the western murk now into Lynx. A second if crude [colour] spectrum now shows emission lines obtained via the Minolta D7 digicam with 30^o prism attached to lens hood at full zoom. Camera piggybacked on driven Meade LX200 for 30s exposures - the recorded starfield is offset about 15^ofrom the lens axis by the prism. On subsequent evenings [May 22/23] prism transferred to monochrome HX5 lens combo used for normal field images. More stellar spectra via digicam + prism here..

2004 May 10: Comet NEAT 'rising' in the west near Procyon in hazy conditions over chimney pots but mag 10 stars recorded in 60s exposure via camera lens.

2003 Dec 17/18: Linear C2002 T7 a nice object in Triangulum ~mag 9.5 with short eastward pointing tail. Spectrogram taken Dec 17 shows no obvious emission lines but solar-like reflection spectrum - if anything somewhat cooler Arcturian K-type. b Tri A-type star for comparison.

2003 Nov 27: Comet Encke fuzzball without central condensation on Aql/Oph borders - motion obvious over a few minutes - here 10m. Background stars show their spectra as horizontal streaks to left from intervening Rainbow Optics transmission grating normally left on the camera.

images/text copyright-Maurice Gavin 567/5/10 1894/5/22 2313/6/19 reduced 14/11/04