Comets

• Lulin C/2007 N3 in 2009
• 17P/Holmes in outburst late 2007
• LONEOS C/2007 F1 in 2007
• McNaught C/2006 P1 in 2007
• SWAN C/2006 M4 in 2006
• 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann in 2006
• Machholz C/2004 Q2 in 2005
• NEAT C/2001 Q4 in 2004
• Ikeya-Zhang C/2002 C1 in 2002
• LINEAR C/1999 S4 in 2000
• Hale-Bopp the Great Comet of 1997
• Hyakutake in 1996
• Austin 1989 c1 in 1990

Comet Lulin 2009 C/2007 N3

The Comet in a bright moonlit sky on 5th March 2009. Focal length 530mm with 4X10 second exposures. The green colour of the comet is evident. Taken with a DSLR camera.

Comet 17P/Holmes in outburst late 2007

This is usually a very faint periodic comet. However in late 2007 it suffered a tremendous outburst in brightness.

• 24 Oct 2007. Camera lens focal-length 56mm, a 15 second exposure. With the naked-eye it looked for all the world like a nova.
• 28 Oct 2007. Coma now larger and more diffuse. Details on image.

Comet LONEOS C/2007 F1 in October 2007

Taken on 19^th Oct 2007 and about 18.30 UT. The comet was then low in the western sky in Bootes, the bright star is Eta Boo. Composite of seven 15 second images taken with a DSLR camera. ISO 1600. 60mm refractor at 355mm focal length. The straight tail is faintly visible. That evening I estimated the magnitude of the comet as 5.9.

Comet McNaught C/2006 P1 in January 2007

Photos (details) of Comet McNaught C/2006 P1 on 5^th and 10^thJanuary 2007. DSLR Camera. This comet became a brilliant southern object.

Comet SWAN C/2006 M4 in October 2006

Photo (detail) taken on 12^th Oct 2006. Imaged with a DSLR camera using a 60mm refractor at focal-length 390mm. The faint tail is visible.

Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann in 2006

Never a very bright object, 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann passed throught the field of the famous variable star R Corona Borealis. Imaged on 22^nd April 2006. 60mm refractor, 355mm focal-length with a DSLR camera.

Comet Machholz C/2004 Q2 in 2005

The comet passes near the M45 star cluster (Pleiades or Seven Sisters) on 8^th January 2005. The green colour of the comet is evident. Imaged with a digital camera (Nikon 4500). 1 minute exposure.

Comet NEAT in 2004

Comet NEAT lies just north of M44 the Beehive Cluster in Cancer on 16^th May 2004. Taken from Glencree, Co Wicklow. 50mm camera lens, 2 minute exposure on Kodak Elite Chrome 200.

Comet Ikeya-Zhang C/2002 C1 in 2002

The comet was, at its best, a fine 3^rd magnitude object in spring of 2002.

• The comet was in Andromeda about 5° S.E. of the M31 galaxy. 5 minute exposure, through cloud, with Fujichrome 200 on a 135mm focal-length lens. 1^st April 2002 at 21.05 UT.
• 2.5 minute exposure with Fujichrome 200 on a 50mm focal-length lens at f/2.8.
  Clear sky. 7^thApril 2002 at 21.44 UT. The blue ion tail was 5° in length to the naked-eye.

Both at Oristown, Kells, Co. Meath.

Comet LINEAR C/1999 S4 in 2000

This comet was a binocular object in the summer of 2000.

21 July 2000 00.05 UT. 30 second exposure with a ST-7 CCD on a 480mm focal-length 70mm refractor (Pronto). In the Dublin sky glow, with a waning gibbous moon. Somewhat hazy sky.

Hale-Bopp, the Great Comet of 1997

• The comet was then among the stars of eastern Cygnus on the morning of 2^nd March 1997 at 05.02 UT. Taken with a 50mm focal-length lens on a fixed tripod (40 seconds undriven, Fujichrome 400). Transparent sky with last quarter moon. Carrigolligan, Co Dublin.
• 6^th March 1997 at 05.06 UT. The comet was on the borders of Cygnus and Lacerta. 50mm camera lens with an exposure of 6 minutes. Sugar Loaf, Co Wicklow. Very slight mist.
• The comet on the morning of 13^th March 1997 at 05.05 UT. Taken with a 105mm telephoto lens. (5 minutes, Ektachrome 400). Carrigolligan, Co Dublin.
• The comet on 21^st March 1997 at 04.27 UT. Taken with a 480 focal length refractor (70mm Pronto). (5 minutes, Ektachrome 400). Sugar Loaf, Co Wicklow. Slight mist.
• The comet, in Andromeda, on the evening of 31^st March 1997. The blue Ion Tail is passing near the Perseus Double Cluster, while the cream Dust Tail curves towards Cassiopeia. Taken with a 50mm camera lens f2.8. (6 minutes, Ektachrome 400). Stretched to show ion tail.
• The comet on the evening of 10^th April 1997. The blue Ion Tail is passing through Perseus, while the cream Dust Tail curves towards the Double Cluster. Taken with a 28mm camera lens f2.8. (4 minutes, Fujichrome 400). The crescent moon is over exposed. Luggala, Co Wicklow.

Comet Hyakutake in 1996

This comet was a spectacular naked-eye object that passed quite near the earth.

• 26 March 1996 at about 23.45 UT. The comet is then just above Polaris. Camera lens focal-length 50mm, a 2.5 minute undriven exposure!. At Kilakee, Co Dublin.

Comet Austin 1989 c1 in 1990

The comet was then a 4^th magnitude object in Andromeda, a little west of the Andromeda Galaxy M31. A faint tail is visible pointing upwards. 27^th April 1990. From the Sugar Loaf, Co Wicklow. Camera lens used.