Comet C2006 M4 Swan

Hi,
Low cloud obscured it last night. I made it about 5.4 last week. Predicted to gradually fade in the coming weeks.

John

managed to get a quick look tonight in the 10X50's and it is an easy object. just swept up the area at the top of bootes and it popped into view. Seems brighter compared to a few days ago...

The evening looked promising before I went to college, I was tempted to stay home and hunt for SWAN.
The inevitable cloud arrived so out I went.
Coming home the sky was clear, so I came in and straight through the house with my 15X 70's
Ah ha!!! !!! there she blows, nice view, very nice.

I did this sketch on black heavy Daler- Rowney paper with a new white Mitsubishi pencil, and a Conte Blanc to pick up for my blending stick.

Not to sure if I like the way the black scanned, I like the pencil, but have to hold the red light at an angle to see the white on black in the dark.

New to me white on black.
15X70 Celestron SkyMasters
October 24th 2006
21:18 UT
Lat: 53:11:44N (53.1955) Lon: 6:06:31W (-6.1086)



Decided then to try out my 35 mm Kellner eyepiece in the Sky Watcher. Big eyepiece with 2 inch adapter.
I placed SWAN in the upper left to get in some star patterns that may be recognised.

October 24th 2006
22:03 UT
Lat: 53:11:44N (53.1955) Lon: 6:06:31W (-6.1086)
South is up.



My sketch was at 22:03 UT below is the nearest data I could get for its position as it charges toward the wonderful M13 duet.

Local time 23:15:05, 24 Oct (UTC 23:15:05, 24 Oct)
Right Ascension (J2000): 15h 55m 17.6s
Declination (J2000): 36° 9' 59"
Constellation: Corona Borealis
Magnitude: 8.2
Distance from Earth: 0.9974 AU
Light time: 498 seconds

Deirdre Kelleghan
Irish Astronomical Society
www.irishastrosoc.org

From the IAU circular:

COMET C/2006 M4 (SWAN)
This comet appears to have undergone an outburst, as indicated by the following visual total-magnitude and coma-diameter estimates: Oct. 20.75 UT, 5.6, 6' (A. Diepvens, Balen, Belgium, 20x50 binoculars); 20.79, 5.9, 10' (J. J. Gonzalez, Asturias, Spain, 7x50 binoculars); 23.75, 5.9, 7' (R. J. Bouma, Groningen, The Netherlands, 15x80 binoculars); 24.04, 5.4, -- (B. King, Duluth, MN, naked eye); 24.77, 4.0, 7' (Diepvens); 24.77, 4.4, 8' (Bouma, 7x50 binoculars); 24.81, 4.5, 8' (Gonzalez; 1.8-deg tail in p.a. 25 deg; total mag 4.3 via naked eye).

Thanks for that Dave,

I caught a quick look last night before the clouds rolled in and did think it had brightened compared to last week.

I just put it down to being higher in the sky (and further away from the $%^& sodium light at the end of the road).

Nice to know I wasn't just imagining it

Michael.

Thanks Dave

As Michael says, its great to get confirmation when you observe something unexpected. I cannot wait to get a look tonight (hopefully) to see if it has brightened any further.