Well, I finally saw Comet LINEAR T7 again on Thursday evening. I was at the ASH Naylor Observatory and observed it with the 17" f/15 classical Cassegrain at 118, 144, 162, and 259x. The sky was mostly clear but conditions were not ideal. The comet was located just to the southwest of Alphard and was barely visible through the 5" f/5 finder scope. I could not see it with my Meade 8x42 binocular.
At third to fourth magnitude C/2001 T7 (LINEAR) certainly is brighter and also has a larger coma than it did some months ago, before it dove out of view for northern observers. The coma was noticeably asymmetrical at 259x but there was otherwise no hint of a tail.
After viewing a number of other objects including the Moon, Jupiter, Alpha Herculis, M104, M51, M57, and M3 through the ASH 12.5" f/6.5 Cave Newtonian, the ASH 127mm f/12.1 Orion MCT, and a fellow member's 10" Meade f/10 LX200 SCT I finally remembered to track down the other "great" comet, C/2002 Q4 (NEAT) with the 12.5". Fifth to sixth magnitude Comet NEAT Q4 was postioned just to the west of a fifth magnitude star that is northwest of Lambda Ursae Majoris. The coma was smaller and perhaps more condensed than it had been and there was still a bright pseudonucleus. Magnifications of 52, 79, 121, and 159x were used.
Dave Mitsky
At third to fourth magnitude C/2001 T7 (LINEAR) certainly is brighter and also has a larger coma than it did some months ago, before it dove out of view for northern observers. The coma was noticeably asymmetrical at 259x but there was otherwise no hint of a tail.
After viewing a number of other objects including the Moon, Jupiter, Alpha Herculis, M104, M51, M57, and M3 through the ASH 12.5" f/6.5 Cave Newtonian, the ASH 127mm f/12.1 Orion MCT, and a fellow member's 10" Meade f/10 LX200 SCT I finally remembered to track down the other "great" comet, C/2002 Q4 (NEAT) with the 12.5". Fifth to sixth magnitude Comet NEAT Q4 was postioned just to the west of a fifth magnitude star that is northwest of Lambda Ursae Majoris. The coma was smaller and perhaps more condensed than it had been and there was still a bright pseudonucleus. Magnifications of 52, 79, 121, and 159x were used.
Dave Mitsky
Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
