SWAN Spotting

Our group finally caught up with Comet 2006 M4 from a light-polluted school
site in south Texas. Very round, large, and soft coma - looked like maybe
10-15 arcminutes across, but no real tail. Though right in the neighborhood
of M13, SWAN was larger and more distinct. Used everything from an 80mm
refractor to a 12 inch Dob, and didn't see appreciable differences in
structure. The schoolkids thought it was cool this is a hyperbolic versus
periodic comet, and that it may never pass this way again.

John W

San Antonio Astronomical Assiciation



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SWAN, he has no other name.
James E. Klein


Engineering Calculations
http://www.ecalculations.com

Engineering Calculations is the home of
the KDP-2 Optical Design Program
for Windows.
1-818-507-5706 (Voice and Fax)
1-818-823-4121

John Whisenhunt wrote:

Our group finally caught up with Comet 2006 M4 from a light-polluted school
site in south Texas. Very round, large, and soft coma - looked like maybe
10-15 arcminutes across, but no real tail.

exact same here- I was disappointed to see no hint of a tail. A fellow
club member got an incredible photo of it with his 10" lx200 - bright
green nucleus and long thin tail - his photo is the best Ive seen anywhere
on the net - but visually it shows no tail ???



Though right in the neighborhood
of M13, SWAN was larger and more distinct. Used everything from an 80mm
refractor to a 12 inch Dob, and didn't see appreciable differences in
structure. The schoolkids thought it was cool this is a hyperbolic versus
periodic comet, and that it may never pass this way again.

John W

San Antonio Astronomical Assiciation

----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

Internet Banality wrote:

John Whisenhunt wrote:

Our group finally caught up with Comet 2006 M4 from a light-polluted school
site in south Texas. Very round, large, and soft coma - looked like maybe
10-15 arcminutes across, but no real tail.

exact same here- I was disappointed to see no hint of a tail. A fellow
club member got an incredible photo of it with his 10" lx200 - bright
green nucleus and long thin tail - his photo is the best Ive seen anywhere
on the net - but visually it shows no tail ???

It's there, but it is very faint and seen only with averted vision under
a dark sky.

Greg

--
Greg Crinklaw
Astronomical Software Developer
Cloudcroft, New Mexico, USA (33N, 106W, 2700m)

SkyTools: http://www.skyhound.com/cs.html
Observing: http://www.skyhound.com/sh/skyhound.html
Comets: http://www.skyhound.com/sh/comets.html

To reply take out your eye

Greg Crinklaw wrote:
Internet Banality wrote:

John Whisenhunt wrote:

Our group finally caught up with Comet 2006 M4 from a light-polluted school
site in south Texas. Very round, large, and soft coma - looked like maybe
10-15 arcminutes across, but no real tail.

exact same here- I was disappointed to see no hint of a tail. A fellow
club member got an incredible photo of it with his 10" lx200 - bright
green nucleus and long thin tail - his photo is the best Ive seen anywhere
on the net - but visually it shows no tail ???

It's there and very clear and can seen with binoculars,even in daylight ! so you do not know what you are talking about


Greg


I am sorry Greg,the guy is right.




--
Greg Crinklaw
Astronomical Software Developer
Cloudcroft, New Mexico, USA (33N, 106W, 2700m)

SkyTools: http://www.skyhound.com/cs.html
Observing: http://www.skyhound.com/sh/skyhound.html
Comets: http://www.skyhound.com/sh/comets.html

To reply take out your eye