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CCD Images - Session 9 (2001-11-01)

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Images of Comet C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR) were taken on the evening of 2001-11-01 with an ST-7e CCD Camera through an 8" LX200 f/10 telescope.

Stacked images, 3 x 3 min exposures

CCD Session S00009
Bullet C/2000 WM1 animation
Bullet C/2000 WM1 images                                          

The comet could not be seen visually though the LX200, due to bright sky background (full moon 39 deg away) and poor dark adaption, but could be picked up in a 10 sec CCD exposure. Movement of the comet relative to background stars  was measured at approximately 1.4 arcmin per hour.

The comet appeared to be a lot fainter than expected (Calibrated m2 Magnitude of only +13.2).

The coma was noticeably brighter in the direction of the sun (more or less in direction of travel).  It appears like a short tail but isn't a real tail, an optical artefact can be probably be ruled out (stars in the same image don't show any such feature).  


C/2000 WM1 Animation

C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR)
Image
2001-11-01, 22:38 to 23:50h UT, 
Animation produced from  4 CCD images taken over a 72 minute period. 
Comet C/2000 WM1 shows  97 arcsecs of movement over this time.
The comet appears to show a slight elongation, but this is due to trailing over 
the exposure time (1 minute in first image, 3 minutes in remainder). 

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C/2000 WM1 Images

Comet C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR)
Image Image
2001-11-01, 22:33h UT 
10 sec exposure (#9006)
2001-11-01, 22:38h UT 
1 min exposure (#9008)
Image Image
2001-11-01, 23:20 to 23:23h UT 
3 min exposure (#9009)
2001-11-01, 23:50 to 23:53h UT 
3 min exposure (#9018)
[ enhanced image of coma ]
[ false colour image ]
Image Image
Stacked Images
2001-11-01, 23:42-23:50h UT 
3 x 3 min exposure (#9016, 9017, 8018) 
Stars appear trailed in this image
Enhanced to maximise comet detail
2001-11-03, 23:20h UT
3 min  exposure (#9009, part).
The coma is elongated due to trailing 
during the exposure.
A tail-like feature extends to the right, 
but this points towards the sun and can't be a real tail ?
CCD Images taken with ST-7E at 1x1 binning, though 8" LX200 
at exposures of 10 sec, 1 min and 3 min exposure.
CCD Temperature -15 deg C
Images autoguided on star adjacent to main field of view.
(click on an image for details & larger view)

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This Web Page: CCD Images - Session 9 (2001-11-01)
Last Updated : 2015-05-16
Site Owner : David Richards
Home Page : David's Astronomy Web Site