Comet Tuttle - anyone seen it or have pics yet?

[flying red fox]

I was wondering if anyone has seen it yet, i havent because its been too cloudy but i think its near Triangulm or thereabouts.

Also anyone got good pics yet?

[carlos_dfc]

It's moving fast, so don't hang around if you want to see it.
Currently in Cetus - between Taurus and Pisces, then down a bit.
Tonight (8th Jan) it will be due South at 7pm - well to the right of Orion, but at roughly the same height as Btelegeuse (the bright reddish star at top-left of Orion)
It will stay at pretty much due South over the net coupla weeks, but is dropping lower every night - within a week it will be half the heigt it is now, and in 2 weeks will be too low to the horizon to see it unless you have some serious equipmant.

Spotted it a few times myself over the Xmas/New Year period as it passed though the area around Triangulum - but sadly no pics
I know a coupla guys who did get pics though.....
ASTRO-CHAT - :: View topic - M33 and Tuttle at 7pm
ASTRO-CHAT - :: View topic - Comet Tuttle/8P
ASTRO-CHAT - :: View topic - Tuttle

[wildlifesnapper]

Hi

I got this pic on the 5th Jan , the first cloudless evening I think



To add to what Carlos said about it moving fast.I took a few photos at around 2 - 4 minute intervals and when I looked at them lated you could see it moving as you flicked between photos !

neil

[The Black Rabbit]

Originally Posted by wildlifesnapper

Hi

I got this pic on the 5th Jan , the first cloudless evening I think



To add to what Carlos said about it moving fast.I took a few photos at around 2 - 4 minute intervals and when I looked at them lated you could see it moving as you flicked between photos !

neil

Lovely photo Neil. Thanks for sharing it.
Doug

[The Black Rabbit]

Carlos / Neil / whoever!
Regarding the fact that it is "moving fast", I'm afraid I hadn't heard of this comet until now, and not being particularly well read up on the subject, apologies (again) if this is a silly question...

Is it ACTUALLY moving fast, or is it closer than (for example) Comet Holmes, making it appear to be moving fast, or is it moving sideways rather than towards or away from us , making it appear to be moving fast across the sky.

I do aplogise for this seemingly moronic question...

Ta
Doug

[carlos_dfc]

Hi Doug

Comets tend to be on VERY elliptical orbits, and travel slowest when they are at furthest point from the Sun (aphelion) and fastest at closest point (perihelion)
Comet Tuttle is close to it's perihelion at the moment - so it is also travelling at (or near) it's fastest speed.
Also - Tuttle's orbit is very highly inclined, compared to the flat-ish plane on which the planets orbit. So it is also moving quite fast 'downwards' (if you allow North as 'up', and South as 'down')
Tuttle is also thought to be the source of the material that causes the 'Ursids' meteor shower (it often passes very close to the Earth's orbit)
Although the Tuttle/Ursids connection isn't yet fully 100% certain.
Ursids occur mid to late December, that is when Tuttle passes close to Earth's orbit.

So - we are seeing it at it's fastest - AND - it is moving across our field of view - AND it is fairly close.

[The Black Rabbit]

Originally Posted by carlos_dfc

Hi Doug

Comets tend to be on VERY elliptical orbits, and travel slowest when they are at furthest point from the Sun (aphelion) and fastest at closest point (perihelion)
Comet Tuttle is close to it's perihelion at the moment - so it is also travelling at (or near) it's fastest speed.
Also - Tuttle's orbit is very highly inclined, compared to the flat-ish plane on which the planets orbit. So it is also moving quite fast 'downwards' (if you allow North as 'up', and South as 'down')
Tuttle is also thought to be the source of the material that causes the 'Ursids' meteor shower (it often passes very close to the Earth's orbit)
Although the Tuttle/Ursids connection isn't yet fully 100% certain.
Ursids occur mid to late December, that is when Tuttle passes close to Earth's orbit.

So - we are seeing it at it's fastest - AND - it is moving across our field of view - AND it is fairly close.

Cheers Carlos.
Just what I wanted.
Ta.
Doug

[astraman]

some good pics but how do you take the pics do you put the camera up to the scop or is it more technical than that

[wildlifesnapper]

Hi

with my telescope I unscrew and remove the eyepiece holder and replace it with a T2 adaptor to fit the camera to the scope. I have the scope on an equatorial mount so I can track the stars accross the sky, take long exposures and not get star trails. The only problem with Tuttle is dont use too lang an exposure or you'll get a comet trail
I stack images if needed in photoshop and then remove light pollution.

neil

[paulchandler6]

Have been out several times this week to try and see it, but always too much cloud cover. Hoping for a clear nite before it passes.

Paul