M50
M50, originally uploaded by ThinkingCamera.
I like the image of the star cluster M50, but I also was thrilled to discover by chance that it might have a comet in it. I thought that the object marked with the lines was comet 103P Hartley. The position was right according to software and there was nothing that bright on the charts I have, but the digital sky survey does show a double star, that bright and in the exact position, so it is not the comet. Oh well! “Blinking” between my image and the DSS one, I can see nothing different, so if the comet is in the image, it did not register.
This was made with 15 x 20second exposures on my new Atik320e camera on the 8inch CPC800 telescope.
Good afternoon, I saw your picture M50 and the proposed comet.
I photographed the same area 29,01,2011
However, trying to find the same comet. Comparing the data of your pictures and my pictures came to the conclusion that this object is not a comet but there is a visual double star.
sending a link to my picture.
http://senea.777.md/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/103P_Hartley_img2.jpg
shot at
refractor achromat 120/1000
neq6 pro
canon 500D
Comment by Rusu Sergiu — Sunday 6 February 2011 @ 11:05
Thanks for the comment – I had already updated the article after I checked against the digital sky survey image for the area – it is definitely a double star but this was not shown on the chart I was using.
Did you find the comet? I cannot see anything on my image which looks like it but if it is 12th magnitude as predicted, it should be visible.
Comment by Chris Curtis — Sunday 6 February 2011 @ 11:24
I also have not found a comet in my images. Although the data planetarium written about that it should be in the area. probably wrong coordinates or the luminosity of the comet is less than 12 magnitude
Sergiu. Rep. of Moldova
Comment by Rusu Sergiu — Sunday 6 February 2011 @ 13:10
hi. i find hartley 103P
http://senea.777.md/astro/10_02_2011/hartley_10_02_2011_animation2.gif
Comment by Rusu Sergiu — Friday 11 February 2011 @ 17:51
http://senea.777.md/astro/10_02_2011/cmm.jpg
Comment by Rusu Sergiu — Friday 11 February 2011 @ 17:52
A great photo here:
http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-widefield-special-events-comets/128218-comet-103p-hartley-m50.html
shows that the comet was only just off the bottom edge of my image, sightly left of centre – I must have missed it by minutes!
Comment by Chris Curtis — Saturday 12 February 2011 @ 00:17