Comet 2021S3 PanSTARRS on early morning of Feb 10, 2024


Date & Time: Feb 9 2024, from 28:10 to 28:46 JST(+0900)
Composed 10 shots with 4 minutes exposed
Optical: Meade 25cm(10") Schmidt-Cassegrain with conversion lens (f=1600mm, F6.3)
with IDAS LPS-P1 Light-pollution suppression filter
Auto-guided with Meade LX200 Equatorial & Lacerta M-GEN
Digital Camera: Nikon D810A
Location: Ooizumi, Hokuto city, Yamanashi pref.

Camera Settings: Recording Format...14bit CCD-RAW, converted to 16bit TIFF(4080×4080)
Device Size...20×20mm
Sensitivity...ISO4000, White Balance...Daylight


On this day, comet 2021S3 PanSTARRS was positioned in the southeastern low sky before dawn, about 5.3 degrees south of eta Ophiuchi. A whitish coma of 10th magnitude and a dust tail extending to the west were observed. This day marks four days before its perihelion passage, and it is currently approaching its maximum brightness. Over the course of spring 2024, it will dim as it moves northward, with observing conditions in Japan improving.
View angle: 0.70×0.70°


2021S3 PanSTARRS on early morning of Mar 9, 2024
Kushida on Mar 2, 2024

Copyright(c) 2024 by Naoyuki Kurita, All rights reserved.
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