[BAA Comets] C/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) update

[Nick Howes]

I agree here with Richard, but I think Owen's point in some way is valid, mainly due to the press coverage of this comet, which I believe overly built up expectations, and possibly led many to feel a bit disappointed by it when finally they did get to see it. I'd agree it's borderline naked eye visible, but also agree with Richard, that the thrill is in the chase... having spent a good 20 minutes hunting for it with my 7yo daughter, the thrill when we finally did get to see it, and I got to share with her, her first ever view of a comet through a pair of binoculars, was priceless. 


Seasoned comet hunters and those of us interested in comets may see Panstarrs as a bit of an under performer, it's certainly no "Hale Bopp", but as ambassadors for amateur science and observations, we should also try to share any and every observable target, especially comets, which are something that does capture the imagination.. with the wider public, for a genuinely believe their sense of wonder and thirst for astronomy has never been greater than it is now.






-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Miles <rmiles.btee at btinternet.com>
To: BAA Comets discussion list <comets-disc at britastro.org>
Sent: Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:54
Subject: Re: [BAA Comets] C/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) update


Picking up on what makes comets especially interesting from an observer's 
point of view.

We might suppose that comets are akin to asteroids with a few extra points 
of interest:-

They have tails which extend through space in three dimensions and which 
undergo significant changes night-to-night. Their elliptical orbits often 
bring them close to the Earth, and especially close to the Sun. That not 
only kicks off all manner of unusual phenomena but also represent an 
observing challenge as we have to box clever when observing them at low 
solar elongations. Getting the most out of deep sky observing requires 
attention to detail and the same is true of comets. But deep-sky stuff 
usually has an infinitely long observing window or one that can be revisted 
time after time, whereas the drama that is this comet has been unfolding 
over days and weeks, never to be repeated, and so that makes it particularly 
amenable and interesting to study. Near-Earth asteroids on the other hand 
usually have a fleeting window of opportunity and can be gone in a day or 
two.

If I get another chance of picking up C/2011 L4 in a properly clear sky, I 
know exactly how I will try to observe it, hitting  it hard by windowing 
down the CCDs on my two scopes to take as many images as possible during 
late twilight before it disappears behind a badly-positioned tree.  Nothing 
like the thrill of the chase.

Here's to some clear skies then,
Richard


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nick James" <ndj at nickdjames.com>
To: "OWEN BRAZELL" <o.brazell at btinternet.com>; "BAA Comets discussion list" 
<comets-disc at britastro.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 7:27 AM
Subject: Re: [BAA Comets] C/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) update


> Owen,
>
>> Denis this rant does not become you. I have seen many comets over thirty 
>> + years and although I have seen L4 three times now at no point (yet) has 
>> it become naked eye from my location.
>
> I wouldn't characterise Denis' comments as a rant. I think he, like I,
> found your comments a little negative. This is particularly so since
> I've heard you get excited about a faint deep sky object that is at the
> limit of visibility in a large Dob and which doesn't change from one
> year to the next!
>

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