Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 on Apr 27, 2006


f=1600mm prime focus

Date & Time: (Component C)Apr 27 2006, from 23:19 to 23:49 JST(+0900), 9min.×4shots
(Component B)Apr 27 2006, from 24:02 to 24:31 JST(+0900), 9min.×4shots
(Mag. image of B)Apr 27 2006, from 24:34 to 24:42 JST(+0900), 3min.×4shots
(Component G)Apr 27 2006, from 25:10 to 25:39 JST(+0900), 9min.×4shots
(Component R)Apr 27 2006, 24:57 JST(+0900), single flame of 9min. exposed
(Component N)Apr 27 2006, from 25:53 to 26:13 JST(+0900), 9min.×3shots
Optical: Meade 25cm(10") Schmidt-Cassegrain with conversion lens (f=1600mm, F6.3)
Auto-guided with Meade LX200 Equatorial & 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



f=420mm tele

Date & Time: (Component C)Apr 27 2006, from 26:00 to 26:21 JST(+0900), 3min.×4shots
(Component B)Apr 27 2006, from 26:33 to 26:49 JST(+0900), 3min.×4shots
光学系：TAMRON SP f=300mm F2.8 with a conversion lens (f=420mm, 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



f=85mm tele

Date & Time: Apr 27 2006, from 27:23 to 27:36 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 comet Schwassmann Wachmann 3 in that day has been positioned in the area of Corona Borealis, two major nuclei of C and B have visual brightness of about 7 or 8th magnitude, I could observe those figures clearly through a binocular. The component B, having striking changes caused by its outburst, has a vast greenish blued coma, changed drastically compared with its image captured on Apr 21. It's considered that the B gushed out ionized ingredient from the nucleus caused of the outburst.
The component G about 1.3 degrees WNW from the B has about 14th magnitude in brightness. And a 14th magnitude component R can be captured about 40 arc minutes apart from G. And you can see a minor nucleus of N with a brightness of 17th magnitude about 35 arc minutes WNW from the R. We can detect an indistinct nucleus about 5 arc minutes west of component N in lower right flame, the position of this nucleus is almost consistent with that of predicted position of component H.


Schwassmann Wachmann 3 on May 2, 2006
Schwassmann Wachmann 3 on Apr 21, 2006

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