Konstellation zum Vormerken...

[Ulrich Rieth]

...falls Ikeya-Zhang wirklich die 4te Größe erreicht, könnte er am 16.März mit einer 1min Aufnahme knappe 13 Grad neben der schmalen Mondsichel fotografisch festgehalten werden.
In Deutschland sollte das sicher noch einfacher zu machen sein, als von Karhujärvi aus.
Einen Tag später gibt es das gleiche nochmal.
Also, Daumen drücken.
Gruß

Ulrich

[jan lameer]

Thanks Ulrich, at the moment that you posted this message I was just making sky after sunset diagrams for zodiacal light photography in that week. Hadn't thought of the comet yet, nice surprise.

Do you know whether this comet is new to our solar system? The interesting thing is that it will become circumpolar in April just after its perihelium. That will only be between Venus and Mercury but it is quite hot there already so perhaps and hopefully we might see some sudden brightenings or sudden tail changes. Hm, exiting...

http://cometography.com/lcomets/2002c1.html

http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/Ephemeri ... 002C1.html

[Ulrich Rieth]

Hi Jan!

> Thanks Ulrich, at the moment that you posted this message I was
> just making sky after sunset diagrams for zodiacal light
> photography in that week.

Can you put some of your diagrams online? Perhaps I can try to catch the zodiacal light um in Finland as well. Or am I too far north to see it at all? I think I remember it is best seen closer towards the equator.

> Do you know whether this comet is new to our solar system? The
> interesting thing is that it will become circumpolar in April
> just after its perihelium. That will only be between Venus and
> Mercury but it is quite hot there already so perhaps and
> hopefully we might see some sudden brightenings or sudden tail
> changes. Hm, exiting...

As far as I know it is a new one. And you can see in the ephemerides, that Ikeya-Zhang MIGHT reach 4mag in late March and early April.
Maybe it will even flare like WM1 LINEAR did some weeks ago. Btw, this LINEAR is still very bright and it is on its way back to the northern hemisphere's sky. This comet will be visible in the early morning hours in late March and early April, but it should have faded below naked eye visibility by that time.
Lets hope for a nice, but small Ikeya-Zhang in March and some clear skies to be able to see him.
Take care

Ulrich