Comet ISON : Realtime Image and Info 2013

wildespace
A good opportunity to try to spot ISON in binoculars will be on November 7th, when it passes close to the relatively bright star β Vir (also called Zavijava) in Virgo:

But you'd have to be up at around 4 or 5 in the morning for this.

The comet is expected to be around mag 7, hopefully visible in good binoculars like 10x50.

November 17th, ISON will be right next to the brightest star in Virgo, Spica. Very easy to spot! theskylive.com...

^ ^ that link is very good for tracking ISON any day and time.

edit on 27-10-2013 by wildespace because: (no reason given)

wow very cool sir TQ for the information and the link sir! tnks a lot

timelapse

nice video in the link of a time lapse of ISON.

reply to post by skyblueworld


How funny, I recorded a timelapse of ISON for 60 minutes at almost the exact same time as that video.

reply to post by ngchunter


Wow, very nice job ngchunter! Thank you for posting.

A very nice setup you have.

reply to post by Adaven


Not mine, it belongs to a friend. I only wish I could afford a telescope that nice. Fortunately I have a very kind friend who lets me use his whenever I want (I helped him set it up). The only catch is that it's a 6 hour drive for me to get up there to use it.

Is comet ISON to the North? East? West? South? In what direction do i look at?

Mouse89
Is comet ISON to the North? East? West? South? In what direction do i look at?

It's currently in the East, rising over the horizon before dawn (around 4 or 5 am). It's currently below Leo, and will be passing below Virgo throughout November. Here's an ISON tracker; the default view shows where it is now, but you can also input any date to see where it will be in the future: theskylive.com...
And this link gives you the more precise current location, if you wanna use a telescope.

Best of luck, and clear skies, as they say!

Subaru Telescope Captures Clear Image of Comet ISON in the Mid-Infrared Range
subarutelescope.org...

A team of astronomers, led by Dr. Takafumi Ootsubo (Tohoku University), has captured a vivid image of Comet ISON (C/2012 S1) in the mid-infrared wavelength. Using the Cooled Mid-Infrared Camera and Spectrometer (COMICS) mounted on the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii during the mornings of October 19th and 21st (2013), the team was able to seize an image that included the comet's tail. The image arose mainly from emissions of heated dust particles ("thermal emissions" of particles less than 1 micron in diameter) of the comet and its tail.

Although images of the Comet ISON in other wavelengths have been circulated around the world, Dr. Ootsubo's team is the first to show a clear image in the mid-infrared wavelength. The research team also obtained spectroscopic data, which they are using to analyze the quantity and composition of cometary dust. The findings from their continuing analysis and research will contribute to a better understanding not only of Comet ISON's origin but also of the ancient history of the Solar System itself.



The mid-infrared wavelength ranges from about 5 to 40 microns (um) and is invisible to the naked eye. This wavelength range is particularly appropriate for the study of a variety of objects and phenomena, e.g., planetary formation, large-scale star formation in galaxies, and the features of cosmic dust.

Comet ISON has now been detected in 10x50 binoculars by Juan José González. Hurrah!
groups.yahoo.com...

C/2012 S1 (ISON): 2013 Oct. 31.20 UT: m1=8.3, Dia.=6', DC=3, 10x50B. [ In 25x100B: m1=8.5, Tail: 0.4 deg in PA 300º. Slight moonlight interference. Faint outer coma was not perceptible].

C/2012 X1 (LINEAR): 2013 Oct. 31.24 UT: m1=8.1, Dia.=8', DC=3, 25x100B. [ In 20 cm SCT (77x): m1=8.3. In evolution after the recent outburst. Coma disk's boundary in antisunward direction is becoming diffuse compared to the well defined sunward boundary. A tail-like radial feature was visible, extending 0.10 deg from central condensation, in p.a 330º. Astronomical twilight. Altitude: 21 deg. ].

C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy): 2013 Oct. 31.15 UT: m1=7.2, Dia.=8', DC=6, 10x50B. [ In 25x100B: m1=7.5, Tail: 0.4 deg in PA 280º. Elongated coma.].

2P/Encke: 2013 Oct. 31.22 UT: m1=7.4, Dia.=10', DC=5,10x50B. [ Slight moonlight interference. Faint outer coma was not perceptible. Altitude: 19 deg. ].

( Alto del Castro - Aralla, alt. 1720 m, Leon, N. Spain. Mountain location, very clear sky).

Hopefully in the coming days it will be visible in binoculars even from places with moderate light pollution (towns and cities, where most of us live).

If you don't own binoculars, now is the time to get some!

reply to post by wildespace


I will now infuriate those who know where to look for ISON. I am in the south of England just east of London. Would I be seeing ISON in the east to just before dawn ? I would use the tracker that is posted but my phone doesn't work that well

reply to post by ngchunter


Great job - thanks for posting it!

Please keep them coming...

ThePeaceMaker
reply to post by wildespace

 

I am in the south of England just east of London. Would I be seeing ISON in the east to just before dawn ?

Yes mate. ISON will rise at about 03.15am. At around 95º East if you have a compass.

Marc

reply to post by marc72

Cheers Marc looks like I'll be having a few early morning .. Day off work Tuesday so might get up then

reply to post by ThePeaceMaker


Glad to help ThePeaceMaker. I'm on nights for the next few weeks, so going to try having a look myself.

I heard around the 16th November to 22nd November and 6th December to the 15th Januray are the best time's for viewing with binoculars and the naked eye.

I've only got a pair of £15 second hand 10x50mm binoculars, so waiting for the best viewing conditions.

Have a look a this if your on a laptop or pc.( Doesn't work in Firefox for me) It's an ISON interactive model.

ISON Model

Marc

www.solarsystemscope.com...

very cool ,,

here's a pic i made :

enjoy,,

reply to post by tracehd1


DO U KNOW WHAT THE EFFECT ISON HAD ON MARS?

ANY UP TO DATE PICTURES OF MARS? HAVE THEY REACTIVATED THE MARS SATELITES? ARE THEY WORKING??

marc72
reply to post by ThePeaceMaker

 

Glad to help ThePeaceMaker. I'm on nights for the next few weeks, so going to try having a look myself.

I heard around the 16th November to 22nd November and 6th December to the 15th Januray are the best time's for viewing with binoculars and the naked eye.

I've only got a pair of £15 second hand 10x50mm binoculars, so waiting for the best viewing conditions.

Have a look a this if your on a laptop or pc.( Doesn't work in Firefox for me) It's an ISON interactive model.

ISON Model

Marc

edit on 2-11-2013 by marc72 because: because I can

I've got some marine binos that we use on my dad's boat. I'm hoping they are laying about indoors as the boat is out the water. It's 9:30pm I might stay up to see if I can see it meant to have a clear night till early morning hours

Latest image from Damian Peach, and ISON is finally showing a more varied tail: www.damianpeach.com...



Hopefully, this means more dust production, and a nice-looking naked eye comet by the end of November.

About time

It finally comes! I dreamed of photographing the comet ISON. I succeeded this morning. Here it is visible above the enclosure of the Piton de la Fournaise, at Réunion Island. © Luc Perrot

Comet ISON in colour from November 7th, by Damian Peach. www.damianpeach.com...
17"CDK with FLI-PL6303E. LRGB. L: 7x2mins. RGB: 1x2mins.

Some dust strands can be seen in the tail.

Here's a blink comparison of his images from Nov 6th and 7th, showing the evolution of the tail: