Comet LINEAR O7Posted By Dave Mitsky |
I was able to observe C/2002 O7 (LINEAR) during stronomical twilight using the 17" f/15 classical Cassegrain at the ASH Naylor Observatory on Wednesday evening. The comet, which was listed as being magnitude 9.6, was extremely faint and required averted vision and jogging the telescope to be seen at all. It was located low in the southwest near the mid-section of Leo at 11h00m, +10d11'. Magnifications used were 162, 202, and 259x.
Prior to that I saw another horizon-hugging shallow-sky object that will soon be gone from view. Prismatic dispersion made old Jove even more colorful than normal. At 03:19 UT a bright Iridium flare (Iridium 57) took place in the southwest. Just afterward a rather bright meteor flashed through Ophiuchus.
Before taking my leave I watched the Moon and nearby Mars rise in the east. At ~08:00 UT I took a look at the conjunction of those two denizens of the solar system with my Celestron 20x80's.
Dave Mitsky
Prior to that I saw another horizon-hugging shallow-sky object that will soon be gone from view. Prismatic dispersion made old Jove even more colorful than normal. At 03:19 UT a bright Iridium flare (Iridium 57) took place in the southwest. Just afterward a rather bright meteor flashed through Ophiuchus.
Before taking my leave I watched the Moon and nearby Mars rise in the east. At ~08:00 UT I took a look at the conjunction of those two denizens of the solar system with my Celestron 20x80's.
Dave Mitsky