I finally got a gander at this comet after seemingly an entire spring of clouds. We actually had a very clear and dry (read transparent) night, and with the comet being nearly directly overhead it was a great view. Here's my write-up:
Object: Comet C/2003 K4 (LINEAR)
Date/Time: 2004-Jun-20 05:50 UT
Location: Lake Hudson State Rec. Area, MI
Telescope: 13" f/4.5 Newtonian
Eyepiece/Magnification: 14mm Radian/106x
Field diameter: 34'
Object magnitude: 7.0 (very approximate)
Object altitude: approx. 85 degrees
Sky transparency: NELM approx 6.3 @ zenith
Sky steadiness: 6/10
Notes: Very bright, very condensed, symmetrical coma, with star-like nucleus. No tail seen per se, but coma was noticeably elongated towards the south (away from the sun - the comet was very near the meridian almost straight up). In a rich, star-filled field.
Object: Comet C/2003 K4 (LINEAR)
Date/Time: 2004-Jun-20 05:50 UT
Location: Lake Hudson State Rec. Area, MI
Telescope: 13" f/4.5 Newtonian
Eyepiece/Magnification: 14mm Radian/106x
Field diameter: 34'
Object magnitude: 7.0 (very approximate)
Object altitude: approx. 85 degrees
Sky transparency: NELM approx 6.3 @ zenith
Sky steadiness: 6/10
Notes: Very bright, very condensed, symmetrical coma, with star-like nucleus. No tail seen per se, but coma was noticeably elongated towards the south (away from the sun - the comet was very near the meridian almost straight up). In a rich, star-filled field.
Attached Image:
