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The Comet's Tale THE COMET’S TALE Newsletter of the Comet Section of the British Astronomical Association Volume 5, No 1 (Issue 9), 1998 May A May Day in February! Comet Section Meeting, Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge, 1998 February 14 The day started early for me, or attention and there were displays to correct Guide Star magnitudes perhaps I should say the previous of the latest comet light curves in the same field. If you haven’t day finished late as I was up till and photographs of comet Hale- got access to this catalogue then nearly 3am. This wasn’t because Bopp taken by Michael Hendrie you can always give a field sketch the sky was clear or a Valentine’s and Glynn Marsh. showing the stars you have used Ball, but because I’d been reffing in the magnitude estimate and I an ice hockey match at The formal session started after will make the reduction. From Peterborough! Despite this I was lunch, and I opened the talks with these magnitude estimates I can at the IOA to welcome the first some comments on visual build up a light curve which arrivals and to get things set up observation. Detailed instructions shows the variation in activity for the day, which was more are given in the Section guide, so between different comets. Hale- reminiscent of May than here I concentrated on what is Bopp has demonstrated that February. The University now done with the observations and comets can stray up to a offers an undergraduate why it is important to be accurate magnitude from the mean curve, astronomy course and lectures are and objective when making them. and if such a part of the light given in the Hoyle seminar room The first task in observing a curve is all that is used for the from 10:00 till 12:15, so the comet is finding it – not a analysis, erroneous magnitude pattern of the event has changed a problem with the likes of Hale- parameters will be determined. little from previous years, Bopp and Hyakutake, but a far Measurements of the coma allowing a little more time for harder task for the typical periodic diameter tell me something about leisurely chat between the 50 or comet. The ephemerides in The your observing conditions and so participants. Comet’s Tale and on the Section also something about the physical web page give an indication when size of the coma. Recent comets After welcoming refreshments, it is possible to observe a given show a wide range of variation, members were able to tour the comet. They also give the with some having a diameter than Royal Greenwich Observatory, position of the comet in B1950 appears to vary little with solar perhaps for the last time, guided co-ordinates (as used by the distance. The degree of by Margaret Penston. Members AAVSO atlas) and J2000 (as used condensation can vary of the Cambridge University by the Millennium atlas): if you dramatically and Astronomical Society (CUAS) use the wrong set you won’t see 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 demonstrated the Northumberland the comet! You can use PC was almost star like when it and Thorrowgood refractors and planetarium programs such as outburst, but gradually became the Schmidt telescope of the Megastar or Guide to produce more diffuse. University Observatories. The accurate finder charts, however Northumberland was trained on when you know exactly where to Continued on page 3 Venus, but unfortunately the look it is important not to Thorrowgood dome had suffered convince yourself that you can see mechanical failure and the something that isn’t there. I Contents telescope could not be pointed at sometimes wonder if some of the the Sun. After the tour, a buffet observations that I make of Comet Section contacts 2 lunch, prepared by CUAS was comets on the limit of the Section news 2 available, though a few people telescope and seeing conditions Section meeting (cont) 3 were dragged off to a local pub. are figments of my imagination, Near misses 6 During lunch Roger Griffin despite the fact that they seem to Tales from the Past 7 kindly showed off the 36” lie on the light curve. The Tycho Professional Tales 7 reflector. Sales stands from the catalogue now gives a good Review of observations 8 BAA, CUAS, David Early, Earth source of magnitudes down to Comet comments 12 & Sky and TA attracted much around 10.5 and these can be used BAA COMET SECTION NEWSLETTER 2 THE COMET’S TALE Comet Section contacts Director: Jonathan Shanklin, 11 City Road, CAMBRIDGE. CB1 1DP, England. Phone: (+44) (0)1223 571250 (H) or (+44) (0)1223 221400 (W) Fax: (+44) (0)1223 362616 (W) E-Mail: [email protected] or [email protected] WWW page : http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~jds/ Assistant Director (Observations): Guy Hurst, 16 Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise, BASINGSTOKE, Hampshire. (and also Editor of RG22 4PP, England. The Astronomer magazine) Phone & Fax: (+44) (0)1256 471074 E-Mail: [email protected] or [email protected] CCD Advisor: Nick James, 11 Tavistock Road, CHELMSFORD, Essex. CM1 5JL, England. Phone: (+44) (0)1245 354366 E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] Photographic Advisor: Michael Hendrie, Overbury, 33 Lexden Road, West Bergholt, COLCHESTER, Essex, CO6 3BX, England Phone: (+44) (0)1206 240021 Subscription to the Section newsletter costs £5 for two years, extended to three years for members who contribute to the work of the Section in any way. Renewals should be sent to the Director and cheques made payable to the BAA. Those due to renew should receive a reminder with this mailing. Section news from the Director Dear Section member, devote time to papers for the to have many of the present day Journal. My paper on the comets comet discoverers at the meeting, The announcement on the IAUC of 1994 and Michael Hendrie’s so it will be a chance to meet of the likely close approach of paper on comet Bennett have been them, and to discuss ways of asteroid FX11 has promoted a lot accepted for publication. I have improving our observations. The of bitter discussion. It is a pity started on the comets of 1995 and stock of Section Observing that many of the contributors do if you have any material not Guides is probably sufficient to not realise the amount of time and previously submitted do let me last the year, but it will soon be hard work that the team at CBAT have it. Michael Hendrie is well time to think about reprinting it. devotes to verifying observations advanced on his papers on comets If you have any suggestions for and claims of discovery. In this Kohoutek, and Kobayshi-Berger- changes or additions do let me particular case it was fairly Milon. Kenelm England is know. obvious to any regular observer looking at the possibility of that the initial observations writing a paper on the Kreutz There is always a great desire to showed a close approach, but few group comets. If anyone would be the first to see a returning new observations were coming in like to contribute a paper to the comet, the last to see a departing and Brian Marsden wanted some Journal there are plenty of one, or to push the limits of the immediate action before the moderately bright comets which telescope and observers asteroid faded. Goliath in the still await a report. I’d also love capability. The ready availability shape of NASA immediately to see some contributions for the of PC planetarium programs with stepped in, and is now threatening newsletter, as it is often a solo the ability to plot comet paths to control release of all future effort, with perhaps one or two against Hubble or Hipparcos star orbital predictions. Fortunately member’s contributions. fields make it very easy to amateur astronomers and the observe exactly where a faint internet make it unlikely that they The Section meeting was a useful comet should be. Looking for would be able to keep such gathering and I was glad this time this faint smudge of light at the information to themselves. It is to have more of a chance to chat limit of the telescope’s light grasp also worth remembering that with you. The next big meeting is it is possible to convince oneself Goliath came to an unexpected the International Workshop on that something is there and to end! Cometary Astronomy, which will produce an observation of it. It take place over the weekend may well be there but such Its been a very quiet six months following the total eclipse next observations should always make for comet discoveries, with only year. I’m arranging it quite clear that there is some SOHO producing them in accommodation at a Cambridge uncertainty by putting a colon (:) abundance. The Section Meeting College and there will be full after the magnitude and noting the kept me busy for a while, but the details about booking in the next observation as reliability 3. winter has given me a chance to issue of the Newsletter. We hope Comets do outburst and others BAA COMET SECTION NEWSLETTER 1997 MAY 3 fade more slowly than expected, are properly dark-adapted, or it Haakon Dahle, Stephen Getliffe, but quite a number of may be possible to pick out Guus Gilein, Bjoern Granslo, observations are appearing on the features in the inner coma more Valentin Grigore, Roberto Haver, Internet, which appear to easily. All comet magnitude Andreas Kammerer, Heinz contradict CCD observations and estimates should be made with the Kerner, Atilla Kosa-Kiss, Martin visual observations made with eyes fully dark-adapted to the Lehky, Romualdo Lourencon, larger apertures.
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