[AZ-Observing] Comet Ikeya-Zhang: March 15, 2002 (Flagstaff, AZ)
- From: BillFerris@xxxxxxx
- To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 15 Mar 2002 23:56:23 EST
Northern Arizona has been snake bit of late with clear morning skies and
cloudy evening skies, a combination which has not allowed observation of this
bright comet since last weekend. However, tonight the sky was clear and I was
treated to a fine show.
It began about 7:20pm MST. I stepped outside on the back deck to see if the
comet would be visible through the darkening twilight. The view wasn't what I
expected. A thin crescent Moon hung low over Flagstaff with the remaining
Earth-facing side illuminated by earthshine. Venus blazed near the horizon
and a bright flare-like object was rising slowly through the sky right above
the goddess of love. This flare was surrounded by an irregular misty glow. It
was a rocket launch from Vandenberg.
I followed the flame with my 10x50 binoculars and, after the burn stopped, I
pointed the binocs at Aries, swung towards the horizon and Eta Piscium, and
saw the comet about a degree from Eta.
When astronomical twilight finally ended, I went back outside. Ikeya-Zhang
was visible to the naked eye 1.5 degrees west-northwest of Eta Piscium. It
featured a bright elongated core region embedded within a blue-white coma.
This was positioned 25' due south of 7.0 magnitude PPM 117318. The dust tail
could be followed for four degrees under direct scrutiny and another three
degrees with averted vision. The tail extended east-northeast toward Beta and
Gamma Arietis. The plasma tail appeared as a feathered south edge along the
dust tail for several degrees.
Comet Ikeya-Zhang is moving north through Pisces and covering about 1.3
degrees a day for the next few days. It will be located 2 degrees northwest
of Eta Piscium on Saturday evening, March 16, and 3 degrees northwest on
Sunday night. Don't miss the show.
Regards,
Bill Ferris
"Cosmic Voyage: The Online Resource for Amateur Astronomers"
URL: http://www.cosmic-voyage.net
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