[AZ-Observing] Re: Comet C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS) Demise
- From: Brian Skiff <bas@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2020 09:37:47 -0700
On Apr 17, 2020, at 8:17 AM, Tom Polakis <tpolakis@xxxxxxx> wrote:
As it approaches the earth and sun, C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS) should be brightening
toward its pinnacle in the middle of May, when it would be visible without
even as much as binoculars. Comets don't listen to "should" or "would," and
this one began disintegrating a couple weeks ago. These images span 12
nights, beginning on April 6.
https://pbase.com/polakis/image/170628130
The first thing to go was the bright coma, which began to elongate. Better
images from darker sites show multiple fragments as it has broken up. Now
it's pretty certain that the comet will disappear from view completely by
the time the big show was going to happen.
These are all single 2-minute exposures taken with my 12 1/2" telescope from
Tempe.
Nice hueristic series, which I’ll pass along to the Lowell ‘cafe’ list.
I had hoped (actually from Matthew’s enthusiastic requests) to get a lot
more coverage of this with the 42-inch and narrowband filters. But, alas.
The latest (as of a few minutes ago) on telescope access is that the
technical staff will be gearing up with PPE in order to access telescopes
in-person without having to wait 72 hours, and observers (well, me) can go to
the telescope without the time or the weather restriction. This does however
mean a lot more nuisance, along with mask/gloves and sanitizing at the end of
the visit (both almost certainly only marginally effective), we observers now
get to wear a deadman-switch belt that calls paramedics if we fall down the
stairs or have a stroke or whatever. Apparently the observatory has already
bought into this (large $$). Next we’ll have to hire a nurse to hold your hand
while you take a piss.
\Brian
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