C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) 2024-May-27 Dan Bartlett

C_2023_A3_Tsuchinshan_ATLAS_C14SCTHyperstar_asi2600mcP_52x120sec_2024_05_27_231302PDT_JuneLake_California_USA_DEBartlett

Over saturated this Virgo galaxy field to bring interest to the internal structure of comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS. Estimates vary widely on the magnitude estimate of the comet somewhere in the 10.5 magnitude range. The brighter galaxies in this field are listed as 11.3 for NGC 4123 and 12.5 for NGC 4116 as an interesting brightness comparison for the comet. Note, in addition to saturating the starfield I also "toned down" the brightness of the comet in order to pull out internal cometary structure.

I was happy to keep over 200 minutes of captures on this exceptionally clear and stable portion of the night.

​​​​​​​Keeping an eye on this comet as it approaches perihelion on Sept 27, 2024 and a periapsis of 0.391AU(just a little further away than Mercury is from the sun)!

Full Resolution Image:https://astrob.in/6onyjd/C/


Observational details:
Backyard setup
scope: C14 HyperStar fl728mm D356mm
exposure: 52 x 120 sec
Seeing: 4.5/5
Transparency 9/10
Observer: DEBartlett
Place: June Lake_California USA

Image Info (Processed )
Projection ............... Gnomonic
Projection origin ........ [2936.481041 1963.560170] px -> [RA: 12 10 38.144 Dec: +2 28 35.67]
Resolution ............... 1.064 arcsec/px
Rotation ................. -4.055 deg
Reference system ......... ICRS
Observation start time ... 2024-05-28 05:10:18 UTC
Observation end time ..... 2024-05-28 07:15:46 UTC
Geodetic coordinates ..... 119 04 46 W 37 46 51 N 2360 m
Focal distance ........... 729.07 mm
Pixel size ............... 3.76 um
Field of view ............ 1d 44' 7.5" x 1d 9' 37.4"
Image center ............. RA: 12 10 38.143 Dec: +2 28 35.67 ex: +0.006506 px ey: +0.055697 px
Image bounds:
top-left .............. RA: 12 13 55.949 Dec: +3 06 53.88 ex: -1.062475 px ey: -1.019165 px
top-right ............. RA: 12 07 00.665 Dec: +2 59 33.58 ex: +0.035961 px ey: -1.013041 px
bottom-left ........... RA: 12 14 15.315 Dec: +1 57 35.57 ex: -1.176478 px ey: +0.724452 px
bottom-right .......... RA: 12 07 20.477 Dec: +1 50 15.70 ex: +0.143906 px ey: +2.072841 px