Images

Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y4) Disintegration

Comet ATLAS on Apr 14, 2020, 03:42 UT. 20×30 sec, Gain 37, Offset 49, QHY183c at -20C, UHC-S Filter, Televue TV-85 at F/5.6.

Looks like Comet ATLAS was a dud.  It broke up into pieces after it had brightened much higher than predicted last month.  The brightening and breakup so soon afterwards indicates a large release of material from inside the object as it cracked open, so to speak.

By the time I took this pic, there were at least 3 to 5 major pieces in a line and the out-gassing of volatiles available was over with.   Just rock and dust was all that was left.

Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y4)

Comet ATLAS (2019 Y4) on Mar 27, 2020, 3:05 UT. Base was 5×60 sec and I added another 10 minutes with 15 sec and 30 sec subs. QHY183c, UHC-S filter, TV-85 @ F/5.6.

I fought clouds on Mar 27, 2020 and also two nights before that on Mar 25, 2020.  The March 27th session produced this image.  The image data from the 25th was not worth posting.  This image, even though it is only a few minutes of exposure that I pieced together, was decent enough to post online.  Better than nothing, I suppose.

I am hoping that better conditions are coming soon.  I need to get a continuous set of  sub-images for this comet instead of having to put together a hodgepodge of exposures taken between bouts of cloud cover.

The Whale & Crowbar Galaxies

Whale & Crowbar Galaxies on Mar 7, 2020. 184×30 sec, Gain 37, Offset 0, QHY183c cooled -20C, UHC-S filter, Televue TV-85 @ F/5.6

Not the best of nights with moonlight and high clouds, but I did manage to get enough data for a preliminary image of the Whale and Crowbar Galaxies.

Here is the detail view:

Whale Galaxy and Pup on Mar 7, 2020. 184×30 sec, Gain 37, Offset 0, QHY183c cooled -20C, UHC-S filter, Televue TV-85 @ F/5.6. Detail view.

M83 Spiral Galaxy

M83 Spiral Galaxy on Feb 22, 2020. 41×60 sec, Gain 20, Offset 15, QHY183c at -20C, UHC-S Filter, Televue TV-85 @ F/5.6.
m83-41×60-g20-o15_-20C-qhy183c-uhcs-85f5_6-v2-scaled.jpg

Cut short by clouds!   I have been wanting to get this object, too.  It was finally in an area of the sky and there at the right time for me to get at least 90 minutes worth of time on it.   But, the clouds came in and ruined things only half-way in.   What I did get was decent, at least.