[meteorite-list] Rob's Comet's Exciting Explosion Part III

From: MexicoDoug <MexicoDoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat Oct 28 23:50:03 2006
Message-ID: <004e01c6fb0d$49e244f0$5d1a86ac_at_thedawning>

Hello shooting star devotees and comet origin enigmaticists,

Just an update on the great surprise comet of 2006,
C/2006 M4 (SWAN), discovered by Rob Matson by early July...

We are in bright Moonlight at the first quarter and Rob's comet continues to
be nicely visible from suburban or reasonable urban areas. Most suburban
locations will be fine and if you happen to live in the dust bowl try Cuivre
River Park Sunday night and look inside the Keystone for a guarantied
delightful view - can't miss it if the clouds hold back...I walked outside
this suburban locaion while on the computer and found it immediately despite
the first quarter Moon about a quarter turn of sky away at the same
elevation. The Comet is WNW about 280?(Seattle)-295?(Miami) on a compass at
two hours after Sunset for US latitudes the next few nights. It is the
greenest natural object in the skies and well worth the chase!

N. 30?13.40 Lat. Lunar First Quarter, 2006 OCT 28 20:49 EDT (29.035 UT)
C/2006 M4 (SWAN) 2006 Oct. 29.035 UT: m1=4.8, Dia.= 9', DC=8 vis. LM = 4.0

Photo tonight:
www.diogenite.com/061028-03.jpg

The above is a photo tonight taken less than 3 hours ago and Rob's Comet is
labeled. The brightest star to the left of the comet in the photo, Zeta
Herculis, is the second brightest star in the constellation Hercules. Zeta
Herculis is brightest star in Hercules' Keystone asterism, at magnitude 2.8.
The Comet is taking the scenic route through our heavens jetting by the
brightest Globular Cluster in the Northern hemisphere, the imposing M13, in
that neighborhood, which is sometimes visible with the naked eye at a
diffuse 5.9 magnitude. The photo with a typical digital camera zoomed for
highest magnification shows both the Comet and Globular Cluster. Two
fuzzies for the price of one...Initial reports of fragmentation as far as I
can see in a small telescope are not playing out...

Best wishes and clear skies,
Doug
Received on Sat 28 Oct 2006 11:49:45 PM PDT