Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS)
1st Quarter Moon
Location: Peggy's Cove, NS
Date: 2024-10-11
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:05 PM ADT
Equipment: Visual, 10x42 IS Binoculars, iPhone 13 Pro Max
Seeing: not recorded
Transparency: not recorded
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We drove to Peggy's Cove after an early dinner. Jerry had a camera plus tripod plus his iPhone 15 Pro Max. I had my 10x42 IS binoculars plus my iPhone 13 Pro Max. We arrived earlier than necessary as we wanted to set up and to watch the sunset that is normally quite beautiful at that location. Joining us were Fellow Lady Observer Liz with her two cousins (Helen and her brother John David). There was a cold wind that was quite noisy in my ears when facing the wind with my hood up. Very thankful I had winter coat and mitts! We found some respite behind one of the wood fences of the deck, and that helped (a bit). |
Comet 'should' be appearing just above the low bump in centre of photo |
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© Jerry Black |
We thought about leaving as it got darker and no comet was evident in the sky, but were determined to stay until we found it or it was too dark to find it. At 6:38, we found it! Persistence paid off. Barely visible in the colours of the sunset but nonetheless there. Jerry captured it with his camera (photo at left). The rest of us enjoyed the view with our binoculars. It appeared in the pale orange band of the sunset. Did not see much of the tail but the comet appeared to be fuzzy - not sure if because of the tail obscuring it or the unsteadiness of the atmosphere. Now to track it over the coming month....
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