© Galloway Astronomy Centre 2018 All images are copyright – M Alexander unless otherwise stated
Astronomical Events Observed - 2018
ISS Crosses the Moon
6th Jan 2018 07.23UT
Stellarium showed that the ISS would pass across the Moon just before dawn.
Using a 127 Maksutov telescope and Nikon D3300 I made a short video of the event.
Click HERE to see the video on Youtube.
Mars & Jupiter
6th Jan 2018 07.30UT
For several days Mars & Jupiter have been coming
closer together in the dawn sky. In reality they are
370 million of miles apart.
Comet C/2016 R2 PanSTARRS
6th Jan 2018 19.30UT
This comet was previously observed in Oct 2017 in Orion when it was very faint.
Originally predicted to be only +13 magnitude at its brightest, however, the comet
has been identified as a rare type which is Carbon Monoxide (CO) rich. CO turns
from ice to gas at a temp of only -248 oC so a little sunlight has a big effect on the
comet, producing a dense gas tail.
The bright star in the image is Gamma Taurus.
The images was taken with a 70mm refractor and Canon 450D camera.
Comet C/2017 T1 Heinze
6th Jan 2018 21.00UT
This comet is following the predicted brightness and reached its max magnitude of
+9.8 when imaged. At a distance of only 21 million miles from the Earth over the
period of one minute it could be seen moving against the background stars.
The bright star is a variable SU Cassiopeia.
I was able to estimate the tail to be 10arc mins long
The image was taken with a 70mm refractor and Canon 450D camera.
Using a 127 Maksutov telescope and Nikon D3300 I made a short video of the event.
Click HERE to see the video on Youtube.
Mars & Jupiter
6th Jan 2018 07.30UT
For several days Mars & Jupiter have been coming
closer together in the dawn sky. In reality they are
370 million of miles apart.
Comet C/2016 R2 PanSTARRS
6th Jan 2018 19.30UT
This comet was previously observed in Oct 2017 in Orion when it was very faint.
Originally predicted to be only +13 magnitude at its brightest, however, the comet
has been identified as a rare type which is Carbon Monoxide (CO) rich. CO turns
from ice to gas at a temp of only -248 oC so a little sunlight has a big effect on the
comet, producing a dense gas tail.
The bright star in the image is Gamma Taurus.
The images was taken with a 70mm refractor and Canon 450D camera.
Comet C/2017 T1 Heinze
6th Jan 2018 21.00UT
This comet is following the predicted brightness and reached its max magnitude of
+9.8 when imaged. At a distance of only 21 million miles from the Earth over the
period of one minute it could be seen moving against the background stars.
The bright star is a variable SU Cassiopeia.
I was able to estimate the tail to be 10arc mins long
The image was taken with a 70mm refractor and Canon 450D camera.
Animation of Comet Heinze
movement in 40 mins
Two images of Comet Heinze
movement in 40 mins
© Galloway Astronomy Centre 2018
All images are copyright – M Alexander unless otherwise stated
Astronomical Events Observed - 2018
ISS Crosses the Moon
6th Jan 2018 07.23UT
Stellarium showed that the ISS would pass across the Moon
just before dawn.
Using a 127 Maksutov telescope and Nikon D3300 I made a
short video of the event.
Click HERE to see the video on Youtube.
Mars & Jupiter
6th Jan 2018 07.30UT
For several days Mars & Jupiter have been coming
closer together in the dawn sky. In reality they are
370 million of miles apart.
Comet C/2016 R2 PanSTARRS
6th Jan 2018 19.30UT
This comet was previously observed in Oct 2017 in Orion
when it was very faint.
Originally predicted to be only +13 magnitude at its brightest,
however, the comet has been identified as a rare type which is
Carbon Monoxide (CO) rich. CO turns from ice to gas at a
temp of only -248 oC so a little sunlight has a big effect on the
comet, producing a dense gas tail.
The bright star in the image is Gamma Taurus.
The images was taken with a 70mm refractor and Canon 450D
camera.
Comet C/2017 T1 Heinze
6th Jan 2018 21.00UT
This comet is following the predicted brightness and reached
its max magnitude of +9.8 when imaged. At a distance of only
21 million miles from the earth over the period of one minute
it could be seen moving against the background stars.
The bright star is a variable SU Cassiopeia.
The image was taken with a 70mm refractor and Canon 450D
camera.
just before dawn.
Using a 127 Maksutov telescope and Nikon D3300 I made a
short video of the event.
Click HERE to see the video on Youtube.
Mars & Jupiter
6th Jan 2018 07.30UT
For several days Mars & Jupiter have been coming
closer together in the dawn sky. In reality they are
370 million of miles apart.
Comet C/2016 R2 PanSTARRS
6th Jan 2018 19.30UT
This comet was previously observed in Oct 2017 in Orion
when it was very faint.
Originally predicted to be only +13 magnitude at its brightest,
however, the comet has been identified as a rare type which is
Carbon Monoxide (CO) rich. CO turns from ice to gas at a
temp of only -248 oC so a little sunlight has a big effect on the
comet, producing a dense gas tail.
The bright star in the image is Gamma Taurus.
The images was taken with a 70mm refractor and Canon 450D
camera.
Comet C/2017 T1 Heinze
6th Jan 2018 21.00UT
This comet is following the predicted brightness and reached
its max magnitude of +9.8 when imaged. At a distance of only
21 million miles from the earth over the period of one minute
it could be seen moving against the background stars.
The bright star is a variable SU Cassiopeia.
The image was taken with a 70mm refractor and Canon 450D
camera.
Left: Animation of Comet Heinze
movement in 40 mins
Astronomical Events Observed - 2018
ISS Crosses the Moon
7th Jan 2018 07.23UT
Stellarium showed that the ISS would pass across the Moon just
before dawn.
Using a 127 Maksutov telescope and Nikon D3300 I made a short
video of the event.
Click HERE to see the video on Youtube.
Mars & Jupiter
7th Jan 2018 07.30UT
For several days Mars & Jupiter have been coming
closer together in the dawn sky. In reality they are
370 million of miles apart.
Comet C/2016 R2 PanSTARRS
6th Jan 2018 19.30UT
This comet was previously observed in Oct 2017 in Orion when it
was very faint.
Originally predicted to be only +13 magnitude at its brightest,
however, the comet has been identified as a rare type which is
Carbon Monoxide (CO) rich. CO turns from ice to gas at a temp of
only -248 oC so a little sunlight has a big effect on the comet,
producing a dense gas tail.
The bright star in the image is Gamma Taurus.
The images was taken with a 70mm refractor and Canon 450D
camera.
Comet C/2017 T1 Heinze
6th Jan 2018 19.30UT
This comet is following the predicted brightness and reached its
max magnitude of +9.8 when imaged. At a distance of only 21
million miles from the earth over the period of one minute it
could be seen moving against the background stars.
The bright star is a variable SU Cassiopeia.
The image was taken with a 70mm refractor and Canon 450D
camera.
before dawn.
Using a 127 Maksutov telescope and Nikon D3300 I made a short
video of the event.
Click HERE to see the video on Youtube.
Mars & Jupiter
7th Jan 2018 07.30UT
For several days Mars & Jupiter have been coming
closer together in the dawn sky. In reality they are
370 million of miles apart.
Comet C/2016 R2 PanSTARRS
6th Jan 2018 19.30UT
This comet was previously observed in Oct 2017 in Orion when it
was very faint.
Originally predicted to be only +13 magnitude at its brightest,
however, the comet has been identified as a rare type which is
Carbon Monoxide (CO) rich. CO turns from ice to gas at a temp of
only -248 oC so a little sunlight has a big effect on the comet,
producing a dense gas tail.
The bright star in the image is Gamma Taurus.
The images was taken with a 70mm refractor and Canon 450D
camera.
Comet C/2017 T1 Heinze
6th Jan 2018 19.30UT
This comet is following the predicted brightness and reached its
max magnitude of +9.8 when imaged. At a distance of only 21
million miles from the earth over the period of one minute it
could be seen moving against the background stars.
The bright star is a variable SU Cassiopeia.
The image was taken with a 70mm refractor and Canon 450D
camera.
Left: Animation of Comet Heinze
movement in 40 mins
