2006
2006
Sun,
Dec 10
C/2006
M4 (SWAN) :
A
strong cold front swept here swiftly, which led to quite a lot of rains. The
temperature fell to 14℃
in nights. However, the minimum temperature was 19℃
some times ago. It gradually turned clear on morning of Dec 10. The transparency
was extremely clear so I decided to make observations of some bright comets in
my grandparents’ home.
I
started my observation at about 10: 35 UT. The first target was comet C/2006
M4 (SWAN) that I hadn’t seen for long. I easily pointed to the position
where the comet was using a rough stars field drew by myself through the finder.
To my surprise, I could see the stars of over magnitude of 8th, which
was still rare just in the suburb here. I observed through the main telescope
then. The field contained a large number of faint stars. However, I couldn’t
see anything like a diffuse comet. I kept on observing concentrated, finding
something extremely faint in the predicted position of the comet. I doubted
myself, regarding it as my phantom, for it appeared at times. I still kept
observing and decided to make a sketch of the field to prove my result next day.
It took me long to finish all of these. What’s more, measuring its magnitude
and diameter was really hard under the slight-light-pollution circumstances. I
doubted myself all the time during the observation for I didn’t catch its
motion. I told myself it was just my phantom again and again. That’s it.
However, after I had checked the electronic sky map, I was quite sure about it
because that was just the right position for the comet. I was successfully
finding this fading out object again.
Here
comes my measurement:
Comet
C/2006 M4 (SWAN):
IIIYYYYMnL YYYY MM
DD.DD eM/mm.m:r AAA.ATF/xxxx /dd.ddnDC /t.ttmANG ICQ XX*OBSxx
2006M4 2006 12
10.47 S[ 9.2 TJ 10.0R 7 28 5 2
ICQ XX XUxx
PS: Extremely clear sky. Slight
light pollution in this direction. Barely seen. Hard to measure its magnitude.
I
stopped my observation of comet C/2006 M4 at about 12: 15 UT.
Gap-time:
The constellations of winter was getting higher and higher. Pleiades was easily seen high in the evening sky. Since I had finished the observation of C/2006 M4, I decided to have a good look at the clusters and nebulae. I firstly pointed to NGC 1778 in Auriga. Then NGC 1857, M38, M36, NGC 1893, NGC 1857, M42, M43, etc. Not had brought any other sketch books except the ones of specializing in comets, I didn’t do any sketches of these objects.
C/2006
L1 (Garradd)
I
started my observation of C/2006 L1 (Garradd) at about 12: 25 UT. It was
almost on the borderline of Auriga and Lynx. The condition of this comet was
much better than the one of comet C/2006 M4 that nearly no light pollution
towards NE and N. The sky was rarely and terrific dark under this circumstances.
More faint stars could be seen through the telescope, whose magnitude could
nearly reach to 11.8m. I almost immediately detected that the star TYC3391-02440-1
of 11.33m had a very faint and diffuse “nebula”. As I knew, the comet now
was just in this area according to myself-drawing sky chart. However, when
starting to observe it systemically, I could not see anything except the fix
stars. Resting for a while and observing again, I got it and lost it soon as
before. I made every effort to observe in my field but nothing has changed much.
Although I doubted myself again, I planned to sketch it. About an hour later, I
“felt” that the diffuse object had moved a bit, which suggested it was a
real object in the sky. I measured its size and magnitude and something
necessary. My measurements are offered below:
Comet
C/2006 L1 (Garradd):
IIIYYYYMnL YYYY MM
DD.DD eM/mm.m:r AAA.ATF/xxxx /dd.ddnDC /t.ttmANG ICQ XX*OBSxx
2006L1 2006 12
10.56 S 9.3 TJ 10.0L 7 28 5 2
ICQ XX XUxx
PS:
Extremely clear sky. Easier seen.
I
hurriedly finished my observation there at about 14: 20 UT because I had to go
to school next day. After checking the track of comet C/2006 L1 next day, I was
quite self-confident. That was my second harvest on the day.
I took me
about 3 hours and 35 minutes totally to observe comets. The total time of
specially observing known comets is about 43h05m
up to date. I’ll clear up my
all observations before including observing sun, planets, asteroids and deepsky
when I’ve got enough time. That’ll be a huge mission, I think.
Sun, Nov 05
Weekend
again and I’ve already come back, so I did my observation of the comet C/2006
M4 (SWAN) in the northern suburb again. I started my observation at about 10: 15
UT. Firstly I could see the comet in the finder barely, however, when the
extremely bright moon rose above the mountains in the east, a lot of faintest
stars in the field were hidden. I could still catch some details of the comet
without too much hardness. Here comes the consequence of the observation this
time:
C/2006
M4 (SWAN) :
2006 Nov. 05.46 UT: m1=5.6, Dia.=7', DC=7, 10.0cm-refractor, f/7, 28x...
PS:
Moonlight strongly interfered. Very clear sky! Though I didn't see the tail of
the comet, I could "feel" that it directed in P.A.=40 deg.
I completed my observation at 12: 05 UT.
Thur, Nov 02
The last night we had in that place. We beat the teachers’ team there 3: 0 in a football match. As a keeper of our school I didn’t feel much pressure during the match though I was a bit nervous. I began with my search at about 10: 20 UT. The sky turned fine again and the transparency was excellent today. However, the moon lit more strongly, which serious influenced my observation of my lovely comet. But I caught the comet without any difficulty. It was surprised that I could see its tail of 1.5-deg. in p.a. 35-deg.!!! Supposing no moon lit, it would be more enormous. My search was over at about 11: 10 UT.
All
of the recent observations were written here in the ICQ format.
Wed,
Nov 01
The moon was hidden from the clouds; no stars were seen that night. I didn’t do my observation.
Tue,
Oct 31
The
sky turned to hazy in the evening and covered with thin clouds. Moonlight also
influenced strongly. I observed the comet almost the same time. The three fix
stars mentioned above were still easily seen but the comet was not. I spent
quite a lot of time proving whether I caught it or not. Thanks to my effort, I
caught the sight of the barely-seen comet finally. The magnitude of it was hard
to measure under such poor condition. I could only say it was fainter than 5.3m.
The observation was completed at about 10: 50 UT.
Mon,
Oct 30
I had to take the agricultural courses in Sihui, Zhaoqing from Oct 30 to Nov 3. It was really hard to squeeze the free time out but finally I came with an idea was that doing my observations of the comet C/2006 M4 (SWAN) after finishing my bathing. So I did and it really helped a lot during these days. The only equipment with me there was my 15x50 militarian binoculars.
I
settled in the yard at about two o’clock (UT). The sky was really blue there.
I did my observation at once after finishing my bathing as I promised before. It
was about 10: 15UT. Maybe I behaved a strange way that a guard followed me all
the time. I was told that I could only walk within the square, which was shone
by two very bright lights seriously. To make matters worse, the moon lit
brightly as well. In spite of all of these, I could get to the position easily
where the comet was. Soon I saw the comet in the field without much difficulty.
It located between the stars ε
and ζ
Her. , next to 53 Her. It was more diffuse than several days ago and the
brightness has faded down to about 5.3m
according to my measurement. To my
surprise, I can see the tail of 1-deg. in p.a. 35 deg. I finished my observation
at about 11: 00 UT.
Sun,
Oct 29
The
sky was much clearer than a few days ago. It happened to be a weekend so that I
planned to go on with my observation of the comet C/2006 M4 (SWAN) in my
grandma’s home where lies in the northeastern suburb. So I did.
The
sky was almost dark though a crescent
still hung in the low sky. However, the sky near the western horizon was hazy
because the road not far from my spot was under re-construction. But it didn’t
matter much. A not-very-bright light was on that influenced my searching a bit
as well.
It was about a quarter past ten (UT) that I started my observation. The position of the comet was very easy found as well as I could see it exactly through the finder, which formed a giant difference between the one did in the city and in the suburb. I caught the sight of the bright comet through the main telescope immediately. The strong condensation and the large size of its diameter gave me a deep impression.
I
made two sketches and measured some data of it. Here comes the measurement:
Comet
C/2006 M4 (SWAN) :
2006 Oct. 29.47UT, ml=5.0, Dia.=11', DC=7.5, 10.0cm-refractor, f/7, (28X/70X)
PS: I observed in the northern suburb and sky was much darker, however, an
avenue not far from my observational spot is under construction so that the
lower sky was influenced by the dust. In spite of these, the comet was very easy
seen and the coma was really large.
I stopped my observation at about twelve o’ clock that took me 1 hour and forty-five minutes to complete my whole observation.
Sat,
Oct 28
The sky became a little hazier
again. I started my hunting at about 10: 15UT and it took me long to sweep the
double-star again because the poorer weather condition. Then I swept a few
degrees towards east and found nothing except some of the faint stars in the
field. Gradually I did find something fuzzy in the bottom. That was just the
right position for the comet. I caught it again! It still remained its high
condensation but the magnitude was down. Was it influenced by such kind of
weather? I sketched and sent a report again.
Comet
C/2006 M4 (SWAN) :
2006 Oct. 28.46UT: ml=5.1, Dia.=6', DC=8, Refractor, D=100mm, f/7, 28x
PS: Severe light pollution above the NW horizon. The comet was hard to be
seen though it was bright!!
Weather condition: hazy sky (worse than yesterday).
Fri,
Oct 27
The sky seemed to be clearer than
yesterday. The clouds happened to turn up again in the evening, but this time
they moved away quickly and remained a beautiful blue sky. I moved my
10.0cm-refractor to the balcony swiftly as soon as I got home. It was waste of
time that searching the stars through the finder because of the heavy light
pollution above the NW horizon. I swept the sky carefully and very soon, a
comet-like object near an orange double-star burst into my field. I checked the
software Carte du Ciel
immediately and was excited to find that it really was the comet!
Though it was still slight hazy
and bright background, I could see the coma and maybe its tail! It was fuzzy but
condensed. An hour later, the comet C/2006 M4 (SWAN) seemed to have moved about
0.1 deg. towards east. Certainly I sketched it and measure its brightness
and some others.
Here’s
the report that I sent it to the CometObs:
Comet C/2006 M4
(SWAN)
2006 Oct. 27.46UT:
ml=4.7, Dia.=9', DC=8, Tail: 25 min.? PA=40 deg. Refractor, D=100mm, f/7, 28x
PS: Severe light
pollution above the NW horizon, so I can't measure the length of tail exactly,
however, I can "feel" the direction of it. Weather condition: slight
hazy sky (much better than some days ago).
It
took me about 1.5 h to finish the whole observation when
the comet was hidden by the bright background.
Thu, Oct 26
I had received a great number of
reports that the comet C/2006 M4 experienced an outburst. Observation showed
that it was 1.5m brighter than a few days ago. The sun shone brightly
on the day. Having done some of my homework, I came back home at about 10: 15UT
but I found that the sky was covered with thin clouds, especially the western
and southern parts. I still tried to observe it but failed. It was my third
failure.
Wed, Oct 25
The sky turned clear a few days
ago. It was a good chance for me to observe the comet C/2006 M4 (SWAN), which
has just experienced an outburst on Oct 24, 2006.
The sun shone brightly on the day,
but cloudy in the evening. Failed certainly. It was my second failure of
catching this comet. The first one was on Oct. 05.