[back] 4x Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchishan-ATLAS), October 16th..23rd 2024

October 16th 2024 at Kiripotib/Namibia (f=530 mm, full frame sensor, slightly cropped)
Bigger, uncroped version / Größere, unbeschnittene Version (8984 x 6079 pixel)

 (c) 2024 All astro photo images are copyrighted. They may not be used or reproduced without explicit written permission from the authors.

 

300"

 

 

October 20th 2024 at Kiripotib/Namibia (f=530 mm, full frame sensor, slightly cropped)
Bigger, uncroped version / Größere, unbeschnittene Version (9357 x 6269 pixel)

 (c) 2024 All astro photo images are copyrighted. They may not be used or reproduced without explicit written permission from the authors.

 

300"

 

 

October 21st 2024 at Skinakas/Crete (f=1816 mm, full frame sensor)
Bigger version / Größere Version (5769 x 3944 pixel)

 (c) 2024 All astro photo images are copyrighted. They may not be used or reproduced without explicit written permission from the authors.

 

300"

 

 

October 23rd 2024 at at Skinakas/Crete (f=1816 mm, full frame sensor)
Bigger version / Größere Version (5939 x 4068 pixel)

 (c) 2024 All astro photo images are copyrighted. They may not be used or reproduced without explicit written permission from the authors.

 

300"

 

 

About this Images / Über dieses Bilder

 

Image 1 and 2 (Kiripotib/Namibia):

Camera: Moravian C3-PRO-61000 Mono CMOS
Image Type, Orientation: L-RGB composite,  North is at 12:00
Exposure time/date: Image 1 (October 16th 2024): L: 14x30 sec.,  R,G,B: 6x30s  (0:16h total)
Image 2 (October 20th 2024): L: 19x30 sec.,  R,G,B: 8x30s  (0:22h total)
Location: Capella Observatory South at Kiripotib Astro Farm, Namibia
Filter: Astronomik Deep-Sky Deep-Sky RGB Filter on Moravian EFW-3L-9-II External Filter Wheel
Instrument: "Callisto", a Takahashi FSQ 106N, 530mm focal length, 106mm aperture,  f/5 on modified Losmandy G11 (high res encoders with OnStepX)
Photographer: Rainer Raupach, Josef Pöpsel, Frank Sackenheim

 

Image 3 and 4 (Crete/Greece):

Camera: Omegon veTEC410c
Image Type, Orientation: RGB Composite, North is at 12:00
Exposure time/date: Image 1 (October 21st 2024):  33x30 sec.  (0:16h total)
Image 2 (October 23rd 2024):  97x10sec.  (0:15h total)

Location:

Skinakas Observatory at Crete, Greece, remote-controlled from Bad Arolsen/Germany

Filter:

RGB: Internal Bayer-Matrix

Instrument:

Ganymed 60cm-Hypergraph in primary focus (f=1815.9 mm)

Photographer:

Josef Pöpsel, Frank Sackenheim, Stefan Binnewies

 

Remarks:

The images above were all taken just under four weeks after the comet's perihelion, meaning it was visible in the evening sky at twilight before it set. Because of its orbit, the comet was able to be observed from both the southern and northern hemispheres.

The series of images shows the development of the comet over several days. The expansion of the opposite tail, which was still quite narrow on 16.10.2024 and fanned out as it progressed, is striking.
In Tsuchishan-ATLAS, the splitting of the gas and dust tails is not as clearly visible as in NEOWISE in 2020. In the images from the 24” telescope in particular, you can see that the blue gas tail and the more yellowish white dust tail are largely superimposed.
Furthermore, an increase in the typical green glow in the area of the comet's head can be seen over the days. This is a sign that the gas development has increased in comparison to the dust development.

A shot taken well before the closest point to the Sun can be found here.

   

Bemerkungen:

Die Bilder oben entstanden allesamt kanpp vier Wochen nach dem Perihel des Kometen, er war also am Abendhimmel in der Dämmerung zu sehen, bevor er unterging. Aufgrund seiner Bahn war es möglich, den Kometen sowohl von der Süd- als auch von der Nordhalbkugel zu beobachten.

Die Bilderserie zeigt die Entwicklung des Kometen über mehrere Tage. Auffällig ist die Ausdehnung des Gegenschweifs, der am 16.10.2024 noch recht schmal war, und im weiteren Verlauf aufgefächert wurde.
Bei Tsuchishan-ATLAS ist eine Aufspaltung des Gas- und des Staubschweifs nicht so deutlich zu erkennen, wie etwa 2020 bei NEOWISE. Insbesondere in den Aufnahmen des 24" Zoll Teleskops sieht man, dass sich der blaue Gasschweif und der eher gelblich weiß leuchtende Staubschweif weitestgehend überlagern.
Weiterhin ist eine Zunahme des typischen, grünen Leuchtens im Bereich des Kometenkopf über die Tage hinweg zu erkennen. Ein Zeichen dafür, dass die Gasentwicklung im Vergleich zur Staubentwicklung zugenommen hat.

Eine Aufnahme deutlich vor dem sonnennächsten Punkt ist hier zu finden.

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