Comets images

taken by Gianluca Masi, Ceccano (FR) Italy


  All these images are copyright by the author

 

Special pages about C/2001 Q4 (NEAT), C/2002 T7 (LINEAR), Comets C/2004 Q2 (Machholz ) and C/2004 R2 (ASAS) and  C/2001 A2 (LINEAR) are also available.

 

 

This image shows the C fragment of comet 73P while shining close to M57 on May 8, 2006: details on the picture.  A MOVIE IS AVAILABLE!

 

This image shows the B, C, G, R and more fragments of comet 73P, imaged from the Astronomical Observatory of Campo Catino on the night between 5/6 May 2006: details on the picture.  

 

These images show the B component of comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, grabbed on 5 May 2006: As the previous night, a number of minir fragments is well visible. Details on the picture.  SC 28 cm f/7.3, CCD SBIG ST-7XME, image processing with  CCDSoft and IRIS. 

 

These images show the B component of comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, grabbed on 4 May 2006: this is the first image grabbed with amateur-sized telescopes showing a great number of fragments around the main component. Details on the picture.  SC 28 cm f/7.3, CCD SBIG ST-7XME, image processing with  CCDSoft and IRIS. 

 

     

These images show the brightest fragments of comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, grabbed on 21 april 2006: from left to right, fragments B, C and G. More details on the pictures.  A special mention for the fragment B: this is the first picture where the two apparent condensations appear very well. SC 28 cm f/7.3, CCD SBIG ST-7XME, image processing with  CCDSoft and IRIS. 

 

      

These images show the brightest fragments of comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, grabbed on 19 april 2006: from left to right, fragments B, C, G and R. More details on the pictures.  SC 28 cm f/7, CCD SBIG ST-7XME, image processing with  CCDSoft and IRIS. 

 

   
 

These images show the brightest fragments of comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, grabbed on 7 april 2006: from left to right, fragments B, C e G. More details on the pictures.  SC 28 cm f/6.3, CCD SBIG ST-7XME, image processing with  CCDSoft e IRIS. Evident moonlight interference.


 

This picture shows comet 73P (Schwassmann-Wachmann 3-C), and it was taken on 4 Apr. 2006, between 23:02-23:22 UT. 18 images, each integrated for 60 seconds, have been averaged then DDP-scaled.  SC 28 cm f/6.3, CCD SBIG ST-7XME, image processing with CCDSoft and IRIS. Moonlight interference.


 

This picture shows comet 73P (Schwassmann-Wachmann 3-C), and it was taken on 3 Apr. 2006, between 22:44-23:06 UT. 20 images, each integrated for 60 seconds, have been averaged then DDP-scaled.  SC 28 cm f/6.3, CCD SBIG ST-7XME, image processing with CCDSoft and IRIS.


 

This picture shows comet 73P (Schwassmann-Wachmann 3-C), and it was taken on 31 Mar. 2006, around 22:30 UT. 20 images, each integrated for 40 seconds, have been averaged then log-scaled.  SC 28 cm f/6.3, CCD SBIG ST-7XME, image processing with CCDSoft and IRIS.


 

This picture shows the comet  C/2002 T7 (Linear), grabbed on 26 dec 2003, around 19:42 UT. 11 images (each of them  integrated for 60 seconds) have been added and than processed with the rotational gradient. A jet is evident in the inner coma, close to the nucleus. Its position is different if compared with the images from the previous night (see below). SC 28 cm f/6.3, CCD SBIG ST-7, image processing with CCDSoft and IRIS.
 


 

As above, but the resulting summed image is normally displayed.

 


 

This picture shows the comet  C/2002 T7 (Linear), grabbed on  25 dec 2003, around 2003 18:49 UT. 11 images (each of them integrated for 70 seconds) have been divided in three groups; for each of them the median image was calculated and the three resulting median frames  added.  Later, the rotational gradient was used to investigate the inner coma: a jet is visible. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7, image processing with CCDSoft and QMiPS32.

 


 

This picture shows the comet  C/2002 T7 (Linear), grabbed on  25 dec 2003, around 2003 18:49 UT. 11 images (each of them integrated for 70 seconds) have been summed and the resulting farme log-scaled.SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7, image processing with CCDSoft and QMiPS32.

 


This image shows the comet C/2002 C1 (Ikeya Zhang), grabbed on March 30, 2002, around 18.35 UT. 12 images (each of them with 5 seconds exposure) have been divided in 4 subgroups. I did the median for each subgroup, then adding the four resulting images. The shell structure is visible once  the rotational gradient has been performed. Also, an active region is visible at hour 10 respect to the "nucleus" (a black pixel, visible enlarging the picture) SC 28 cm f/6.3, CCD SBIG ST-7, image processing with CCDSoft and QMiPS32.

 

This image shows the comet C/2002 C1 (Ikeya-Zhang), imaged on Mar. 9, 2002,  between 18:05 UT and 18:11 UT. It results from the median combination of 15, 10-seconds exposures. Using the rotational gradient, it has been possible to underline a strong asimmetry in the very inner coma. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7, image processing with CCDSoft and QMiPS32.

 

This image shows the comet C/2000 WM1, imaged on Nov. 17, between 18:27 UT and 21:18 UT. It is the addition of three frames, each of them resulting from the median combination of 9, 60-seconds exposures. The sum has been log scaled before to apply the rotational gradient (angle=30°), in order to study the inner regions: the coma seems to show the same structure as yesterday, even if the tail, pointing at PA=315°, seems better visible and a bit curved. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7, image processing with CCDSoft and QMiPS32.

 

C/2000 WM1, 17 Nov. 2001, 21:09 UT. Ten 60-seconds frames have been added and DDP scaled. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7, image processing with CCDSoft and QMiPS32.

 

This image shows the comet C/2000 WM1, imaged on Nov. 16, at 20:49 UT. The image comes from median-combing 9 images, each of them integrated for 60-seconds. Noth is up, east on the left. The rotational gradiend (angle=30°) has been used, in order to study the inner regions: the coma seems to show a particular shape. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7, image processing with CCDSoft and QMiPS32.

 

As above, but this time ten 60-seconds frames have been added and DDP scaled. An animation is provided too!. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7, image processing with CCDSoft and QMiPS32.

 

This image shows comet 2001 Q2, imaged on Aug. 21.12, 2001. 3 minutes exposure. The comet seems to show a little tail, opposite to the sun. SC 28 cm f/6.3, CCD SBIG ST-7, with 2*2 binning. The seeing was not very good, and the sky had started to clear.


This image shows comet P19/Borrelly, imaged on Aug. 16.08, 2001. 3 minutes exposure. The comet clearly shows a quite elongated shape, in the sun direction. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7.


This picture shows the comet C/1999 T1 (McNaught-Hartley). 13 May. 2001, at 01:25 U.T. 120*5 sec exposure. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7. A faint coma is visible, extending for several arcminutes.

 


Like above, but with pseudocolors, in order to underline the faint coma.

 


This picture shows the comet C/1999 S4 (Linear). 28 Jul. 2000, at 19:37 U.T. 30*4 sec exposure. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7. This frame shows the inner part of the coma after its nucleus disintegration. The inner coma is very elongated, without any condensation, indicating that the nucleus has been destroyed.

 



Like above, but isophotes have been included in order to underline the strong elongation of the inner coma.

 



This picture shows the comet C/1999 S4 (Linear). 14 Jul. 2000. 7 min exposure. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7.

 



This picture shows the comet C/1999 S4 (Linear). 10 Jul. 2000, 01.13 U.T.; 5 min exposure. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7. Authors: G. Masi, M. A. Tosti.It is also available an animation, done with the same frames.

 



Like above, but displayed using isophotes, in order to analyze better the luminosity distribution over the coma.

 



This picture shows the comet C/1999 H1 (Lee). 3 Oct. 1999, 20.14 U.T.; 6 min exposure. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7. Authors: G. Masi, A. Cassetti.

 



This picture shows the comet C/1999 S3 (Linear). 2 Oct. 1999, 23.27 U.T.; 7 min exposure. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7.

 



This picture shows the comet C/1999 S3 (Linear), imaged the day after its discovery. 25 Sept. 1999, 20.53 U.T.; 10 min exposure. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7. Full moon.

 



This picture shows the comet C/1999 H1 (Lee), taken during the dusk. 23 August 1999, 3.18 U.T.; 9 min exposure. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7.

 



This picture shows the comet C/1999 J2 (Skiff). 11 July 1999, 21.16 U.T.; 3 min exposure. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7.

 



This picture shows the comet P/Giacobini-Zinner. 15 October 1998, 17.52 U.T.; 2.5 min exposure. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7.

 



This picture shows the comet P/Giacobini-Zinner. 12 October 1998, 18.43 U.T.; 2.5 min exposure. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7.

 



This picture shows the comet P/Hartley2. 26 March 1998. SC 28 cm f/3.3, CCD SBIG ST-7.

 



This picture shows the comet P/Hartley2. 24 December 1997. SC 28 cm f/6.3, CCD SBIG ST-7.

 



This picture shows the comet P/Wild2. 3 March 1997, 18.57 U.T. 12 min exposure. Reflector 15 cm f/5, CCD SBIG ST-7.

 



This picture shows the comet P/Wild2. 9 March 1997, 19.33 U.T. 25 min exposure. Log Scaled. Note the galaxy PGC 21893 on the right. Reflector 15 cm f/5, CCD SBIG ST-7.

 



This picture shows the comet P/Wild2. 3 May 1997, 19.57 U.T. 10 min exposure. Reflector 15 cm f/5, CCD SBIG ST-7.

 


This picture shows the comet C/1997 J2 (Meunier-Dopouy). 30 Aug 1997, 19.06 U.T. 10 min exposure. Reflector 15 cm f/5, CCD SBIG ST-7.

 


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