Post by davidlewis on Mar 1, 2019 1:00:20 GMT
In the last few weeks Comet Iwamoto has been moving through the constellations of Leo and Auriga. On the 11th. February it passed close to the two large spiral galaxies M95 and M96 just below the middle part of the body of the lion and we were able to take 13 x 3min subframes of this event which we then stacked to make a 39min photo
as well as a 5min exposure which showed that this was a small green (ionised oxygen) comet with no visible tail.
When we looked at this picture, we found not only the comet and the major galaxies but also more than 50 smaller galaxies of elliptical, spiral and irregular design identifiable down to 16th. magnitude.
On 27th. February, Comet Iwamoto passed between the two open star clusters in Auriga, M36 and M38 and we were able to take a series of photos of it which we will stack as soon as we can. We used a 200 mm fixed focus lens attached to a Canon 70D camera mounted on an AstroTrac mount on a tripod.
We were able to make out the position of the comet in Auriga in 10 x 42 binoculars as a small faint smudge between the open clusters.
David and Rhodri Lewis.
as well as a 5min exposure which showed that this was a small green (ionised oxygen) comet with no visible tail.
When we looked at this picture, we found not only the comet and the major galaxies but also more than 50 smaller galaxies of elliptical, spiral and irregular design identifiable down to 16th. magnitude.
On 27th. February, Comet Iwamoto passed between the two open star clusters in Auriga, M36 and M38 and we were able to take a series of photos of it which we will stack as soon as we can. We used a 200 mm fixed focus lens attached to a Canon 70D camera mounted on an AstroTrac mount on a tripod.
We were able to make out the position of the comet in Auriga in 10 x 42 binoculars as a small faint smudge between the open clusters.
David and Rhodri Lewis.