Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS)
Waning Gibbous Mon (96.7%)
Moonrise: 6:51 PM ADT
Location: Swiss Air Monument
Date: 2024-10-18
Time: 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM ADT
Equipment: Visual, 10x42 IS Binoculars, iPhone 13 Pro Max
Seeing: not recorded
Transparency: not recorded
We had made arrangements with Blair MacDonald to meet at the Swiss Air Monument on St. Margaret's Bay. It was to be a clear night but quite cold and breezy oceanside. Winter clothing was warranted. We left home around 5:45 PM ADT to allow us ample time to set up gear and to be ready for time-lapse and for visual observing when the comet made its first appearance.
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Earth's Shadow at 6:22 PM was beautiful in the eastern horizon shortly after we arrived on site. The blue-purple on the horizon is Earth's shadow (the shadow that Earth itself casts through its atmosphere and into outer space toward the antisolar point. The pink above it is the Belt of Venus (sunlight scattered by fine particulates that cause the rosy arch of the Belt to shine high in the atmosphere and lasts for a while after sunset) |
The three of us set up cameras and iPhones along the granite crest adjacent to the Monument upon our arrival. At 7:30 PM, approximately 1 hour after sunset, the Comet was clearly visible half way between λ Ophiuchi and ω Serpentis in Serpens Caput. Its tail followed upwards to rise between λ Ophiuchi and κ Ophiuchi. |
A family arrived that normally would have one of the children choose a movie to watch on Friday evening. On this evening, the child didn't choose a movie - they chose instead to come view the Comet with binoculars. We were able to explain the constellations in which the comet was travelling through.
Throughout the evening, I had my iPhone on a tripod to better control the image for photos. I wanted the images to confirm the star field I was sketching at 8:00 PM ADT. As exciting as seeing the comet was, it was equally exciting to have a group who did not know the night sky but wanted to see this astronomical event. The cool temperatures with the very chilly wind had us ending the session one hour after first seeing the comet. A successful session nonetheless.
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