Interesting New Comet

[mike a feist]

While idly scanning the Internet I came across a new comet which might reach magnitude 7.5 in a few months. It was discovered by one of the acronymed search programmes: this one called ASAS-SN (or "Assassin) consisting of two separate units called (rather amusingly) "Brutus" and "Cassius". ASAS-SN is an acronym for "All sky Automatic Survey for Supernovae", and Comet is called C/2017 O1, regards maf

[coldfieldboundary]

Right!
Named ASASSN1, official name C/2017 O1.
Some estimates worldwide give 10.0-10.5, it is now a real morning comet, before the twilight still low, now 25 degrees, but climbing! In October reaching zenith (!) and probably mag. 8.

[nigeljoslin]

Interesting...my appetite is wetted! Thanks, Mike.

[jb1970]

Thanks, I'll watch out for that one.

[Robin Scagell]

I've just posted a photo of the comet on the Gallery, and also on the main SPA news story, which also gives a track and full ephemeris:
http://www.popastro.com/news/newsdetail.php?id_nw=559.

[nigeljoslin]

Thanks, Robin. I expect I'll get it in my 14".

[mike a feist]

Sunday 17th Sept. 2017; 0200-0215 BST. From back garden, using Acuter 65mm with 20mm ep.= x19 , then 12.5mm ep. =x30 . Conditions were good, with no moonlight. Found the various 8.5 to 9.7 magnitude field-stars shown on map 78 of Uranometria, but was unable to see this comet (C/2017 O1 Asassn) even as just a faint star. regards maf.

[Robin Scagell]

Just posted an image from Kelling Heath in the Gallery:

http://popastro.com/forum/viewtopic.php ... 1b5b642e9b

I'd guess that it's more like mag 10 than mag 8, so not an easy visual object. I didn't try finding it visually as I had the camera attached.

Robin

[mike a feist]

Thank you, Robin, for you posting, indeed, as you said, "it doesn't look as though it will be a binocular object just yet!". All the recent "so-called bright binocular" comets have been very hard to see in small optics. regards maf

[nigeljoslin]

Noticed on Heavens Above a claim of magnitude 5.5 now!

Was planning to have a look late yesterday evening as it is now placed very nicely between Perseus and Auriga, but a devilish, sudden cloud up only minutes before my planned session thwarted my hopes.

Clear sky forecast this evening, though, so hopefully attempt two will be successful!

[Robin Scagell]

Good luck -- I think it is more like mag 10 than 5.5, unless it has brightened massively in the past few days.

I took another photo from Kelling Heath using the Atik CCD, which I have posted in the Gallery.

[nigeljoslin]

Thanks, Robin, I needed your luck. beautifully clear skies (pity about the moonlight and low elevation), but could I find it? Nice images you've captured, by the way.

First of all, I scanned in my 9x63 binos. I then used the 14" Dob, normally a satisfactory tool for even small, mag 10 comets. But no, after about half an hour, I decided to look for something more interesting!

I'll have another go in a week or so, maybe.