Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 on Apr 21, 2006


Date & Time: (Component C) Apr 21 2006, from 21:42 to 22:14 JST(+0900), 10min.×4shots
(Component B) Apr 21 2006, from 22:27 to 22:59 JST(+0900), 10min.×4shots
(Component R) Apr 21 2006, from 23:23 to 23:56 JST(+0900), 10min.×4shots
Optical: TAKAHASHI 12.5cm(4.9") fluorite refractor (f=1000mm, F8.0)
Auto-guided with VIXEN ATLUX Equatorial & Meade Pictor 201XT
Digital Camera: Nikon D70 (Remodeled)
Location: Ooizumi, Hokuto city, Yamanashi pref.

Camera Settings: Recording Format...12bit CCD-RAW, converted to 16bit TIFF(3008×2000)
CCD Sensitivity...ISO1250



Position of component C & B

Date & Time: Apr 21 2006, from 22:29 to 22:39 JST(+0900)
Composed 4shots with 3 minutes exposed
Optical: AF zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm (f=85mm, F4.0)
Auto-guided with TAKAHASHI JP Equatorial
Digital Camera: Fujifilm FinePix S2Pro
Location: Ooizumi, Hokuto city, Yamanashi pref.

Camera Settings: Recording Format...12bit CCD-RAW, converted to 16bit TIFF(3024×2016)
CCD Sensitivity...ISO1600, White Balance...Auto


The component C of comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 in that day has been positioned at 30 arc minutes north of alpha CrB (Alphecca), and other fragments are in region of Bootes. The component C has a visual brightness of about 8th magnitude and fairly clear dust tail stretched in southwest direction. The component B, positioned about 5.3 degrees WNW of component C, had a nucleus burst in beginning of April, shows us an elongated figure without central concentration. It's considered that the B starts the collapse so we cannot take our eyes off from the behavior of this second fragment. I could see the component B through a binocular like a dimmed nebula, about 9 or 10th magnitude in brightness.
The component G, about a degree WNW from the B, looks like a normal and minor comet with a dust tail, has a brightness of about 12th magnitude. And I could capture another minor component R lying 26 arc minutes apart from the G with a brightness of about 14th magnitude.


Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 on Apr 27, 2006
Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 on Mar 31, 2006

Copyright(c) 2006 by Naoyuki Kurita, All rights reserved.
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