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COMET 2004 R2 (ASAS) - PHOTOS AND OBSERVATIONS. Possum Observatory

Comet 2004 R2 (ASAS) is a comet very recently (in the last few days - as at 9 Sept) discovered by the All Sky Automated Survey (ASAS) ( http://www.astrouw.edu.pl/~gp/asas/asas.html ). It is about mag 9.8 (9th Sept). The following stats are preliminary: It is currently in the morning sky at an elongation of 58*. It is has an apparent motion of 5.568'/hour at position angle 96.6. The following ephemerides were extracted from GUIDE 8...

(Also see: http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/mpec/K04/K04R48.html )

Perihelion distance 0.1134000 AU
Orbital elements:
Eccentricity 1.0000000
Inclination of orbit 63.1000000 degrees
Argument of perihelion 5.2900000 degrees
Long. ascending node 182.3800000 degrees
Date of perihelion JD 2453286.41000 ( 7 Oct 2004 21:50:24.0)
Dist from home planet: 0.88601478 AU (132,545,925 km)
Phase angle: 67.75 degrees
Elongation from Sun 57.73 degrees (morning sky)
Speed of apparent motion: 5.568'/hour at position angle 96.6

DAILY POSITIONS OF THIS COMET CAN BE SEEN AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE...

My visual observation from this morning (9.69 Sept UT - 4:45am local time) is:

2004 September 09 .69 UT: m1 = 9.8, Dia.= 2'.5, DC = 4, 41cm f4.5 Reflect (83x)… John Drummond, (Gisborne, New Zealand) [New comet easily seen. Large, 'bright', coma of medium compactness - without a central condesation. Reminds me of a planetary nebula. No tail visually - or photographically. 37* alt in the E. Stellar LM =15.6 (scope)].

Positions and movement (4:00, 4:15, 4:30, 4:45, and 5:00 am local time) (16:00 - 17:00 UT) with a Canon EOS 10D digital SLR. 15 minutely positions are listed below the images section. The bright image is a combination of 20 images.

       
       
Tuesday 22.69 September 2004 - 16" reflect
Thursday 16.70 September 2004 - 16" reflect
  
Monday 13.70 September 2004 - 3" refractor
 
Monday 13.70 September 2004 - 16" scope
 
 

20 combined 1 minute images

  
4.00am (16h 00m UT)
  

4.15am (16h 15m UT)
         

4.30am (16h 30m UT)
  

4.45am (16h 45m UT)

  
5.00am (17h 00m UT)
         

 

The following positions were derived by imaging the comet at 15 minute intervals and then comparing the image with GUIDE 8 for a position...

(Although I tried to be accurate inaccuracies may have occured...)

UT
RA - Hours
Minutes
Seconds
Dec - Degrees
Minutes
Seconds
16h 00m
07
43
41
-21
37
20
16h 15m
07
43
45
-21
37
22
16h 30m
07
43
51
-21
37
24
16h 45m
07
43
57
-21
37
26
17h 00m
07
44
02
-21
37
28

 

ASAS (C/2004 R2)
Date............... RA........ declination.... r... delta.. mag.. Elong

---- -- ----------- - ----- --- -----
13 Sep 2004 7:43:04 8h15m00.66s -22 15' 26.9" 0.845 0.860 10.4 53.1
14 Sep 2004 7:43:04 8h25m26.04s -22 22' 37.1" 0.820 0.854 10.3 51.5
15 Sep 2004 7:43:04 8h36m03.15s -22 26' 59.5" 0.795 0.850 10.1 49.9
16 Sep 2004 7:43:04 8h46m50.40s -22 28' 21.3" 0.769 0.846 10.0 48.2
17 Sep 2004 7:43:04 8h57m46.04s -22 26' 30.8" 0.743 0.844 9.8 46.4
18 Sep 2004 7:43:04 9h08m48.17s -22 21' 17.9" 0.717 0.844 9.7 44.6
19 Sep 2004 7:43:04 9h19m54.83s -22 12' 34.4" 0.691 0.844 9.5 42.8
20 Sep 2004 7:43:04 9h31m04.01s -22 00' 13.6" 0.664 0.846 9.4 40.9
21 Sep 2004 7:43:04 9h42m13.74s -21 44' 10.8" 0.636 0.850 9.2 39.0
22 Sep 2004 7:43:04 9h53m22.12s -21 24' 23.0" 0.608 0.855 9.0 37.1
23 Sep 2004 7:43:04 10h04m27.41s -21 00' 48.3" 0.580 0.861 8.8 35.2
24 Sep 2004 7:43:04 10h15m28.06s -20 33' 26.2" 0.551 0.869 8.6 33.3
25 Sep 2004 7:43:04 10h26m22.79s -20 02' 16.2" 0.522 0.878 8.4 31.3
26 Sep 2004 7:43:04 10h37m10.66s -19 27' 17.8" 0.492 0.889 8.2 29.3
27 Sep 2004 7:43:04 10h47m51.09s -18 48' 29.2" 0.461 0.902 7.9 27.4
28 Sep 2004 7:43:04 10h58m23.99s -18 05' 46.1" 0.429 0.916 7.6 25.4
29 Sep 2004 7:43:04 11h08m49.81s -17 19' 00.6" 0.397 0.932 7.3 23.3
30 Sep 2004 7:43:04 11h19m09.70s -16 27' 58.9" 0.364 0.949 7.0 21.3
1 Oct 2004 7:43:04 11h29m25.72s -15 32' 18.7" 0.330 0.968 6.6 19.2
2 Oct 2004 7:43:04 11h39m41.15s -14 31' 24.9" 0.296 0.988 6.2 17.1
3 Oct 2004 7:43:04 11h50m01.11s -13 24' 23.8" 0.260 1.010 5.7 14.9
4 Oct 2004 7:43:04 12h00m33.48s -12 09' 54.0" 0.224 1.033 5.1 12.5
5 Oct 2004 7:43:04 12h11m30.64s -10 45' 53.7" 0.188 1.058 4.4 10.0
6 Oct 2004 7:43:04 12h23m11.63s - 9 09' 37.2" 0.155 1.081 3.6 7.2
7 Oct 2004 7:43:04 12h36m01.70s - 7 18' 40.2" 0.127 1.101 2.7 4.1
8 Oct 2004 7:43:04 12h50m12.53s - 5 16' 33.8" 0.114 1.111 2.3 1.2
9 Oct 2004 7:43:04 13h04m58.42s - 3 19' 33.6" 0.122 1.105 2.6 3.3
10 Oct 2004 7:43:04 13h19m09.79s - 1 42' 48.9" 0.147 1.087 3.4 6.5
11 Oct 2004 7:43:04 13h32m27.76s - 0 26' 46.0" 0.180 1.064 4.2 9.4
12 Oct 2004 7:43:04 13h45m04.69s + 0 33' 50.2" 0.216 1.040 4.9 11.9
13 Oct 2004 7:43:04 13h57m15.31s + 1 23' 26.3" 0.252 1.018 5.6 14.3
14 Oct 2004 7:43:04 14h09m10.14s + 2 04' 57.6" 0.288 0.997 6.1 16.6
15 Oct 2004 7:43:04 14h20m55.96s + 2 40' 16.2" 0.322 0.978 6.5 18.8
16 Oct 2004 7:43:04 14h32m36.93s + 3 10' 35.5" 0.357 0.961 6.9 20.9
17 Oct 2004 7:43:04 14h44m15.42s + 3 36' 45.1" 0.390 0.947 7.3 23.0
18 Oct 2004 7:43:04 14h55m52.58s + 3 59' 19.8" 0.422 0.934 7.6 25.0
19 Oct 2004 7:43:04 15h07m28.66s + 4 18' 44.7" 0.454 0.923 7.9 27.0
20 Oct 2004 7:43:04 15h19m03.28s + 4 35' 19.2" 0.485 0.915 8.2 29.0
21 Oct 2004 7:43:04 15h30m35.58s + 4 49' 18.2" 0.515 0.908 8.4 31.0
22 Oct 2004 7:43:04 15h42m04.38s + 5 00' 54.3" 0.545 0.903 8.6 32.9
23 Oct 2004 7:43:04 15h53m28.27s + 5 10' 18.7" 0.574 0.900 8.9 34.8
24 Oct 2004 7:43:04 16h04m45.73s + 5 17' 41.3" 0.602 0.899 9.1 36.6
25 Oct 2004 7:43:04 16h15m55.15s + 5 23' 11.6" 0.630 0.900 9.3 38.4
26 Oct 2004 7:43:04 16h26m54.97s + 5 26' 58.9" 0.658 0.902 9.5 40.2
27 Oct 2004 7:43:04 16h37m43.70s + 5 29' 12.2" 0.685 0.906 9.6 41.9
28 Oct 2004 7:43:04 16h48m19.94s + 5 30' 00.4" 0.711 0.912 9.8 43.6
29 Oct 2004 7:43:04 16h58m42.46s + 5 29' 32.4" 0.738 0.919 10.0 45.2
30 Oct 2004 7:43:04 17h08m50.20s + 5 27' 56.8" 0.763 0.928 10.2 46.7
31 Oct 2004 7:43:04 17h18m42.29s + 5 25' 21.9" 0.789 0.938 10.3 48.1
1 Nov 2004 7:43:04 17h28m18.04s + 5 21' 55.8" 0.814 0.949 10.5 49.5
2 Nov 2004 7:43:04 17h37m36.95s + 5 17' 46.0" 0.839 0.962 10.7 50.8
3 Nov 2004 7:43:04 17h46m38.69s + 5 12' 59.8" 0.863 0.975 10.8 52.1
4 Nov 2004 7:43:04 17h55m23.11s + 5 07' 43.8" 0.888 0.990 11.0 53.2
5 Nov 2004 7:43:04 18h03m50.19s + 5 02' 04.1" 0.912 1.006 11.1 54.3
6 Nov 2004 7:43:04 18h12m00.06s + 4 56' 06.1" 0.935 1.023 11.3 55.3
7 Nov 2004 7:43:04 18h19m52.94s + 4 49' 54.9" 0.959 1.041 11.4 56.3
8 Nov 2004 7:43:04 18h27m29.16s + 4 43' 35.0" 0.982 1.059 11.5 57.1
9 Nov 2004 7:43:04 18h34m49.10s + 4 37' 10.2" 1.005 1.079 11.7 57.9
10 Nov 2004 7:43:04 18h41m53.23s + 4 30' 44.0" 1.028 1.099 11.8 58.7
11 Nov 2004 7:43:04 18h48m42.05s + 4 24' 19.3" 1.050 1.120 12.0 59.3
12 Nov 2004 7:43:04 18h55m16.10s + 4 17' 58.7" 1.073 1.141 12.1 59.9
13 Nov 2004 7:43:04 19h01m35.92s + 4 11' 44.4" 1.095 1.163 12.2 60.5
14 Nov 2004 7:43:04 19h07m42.08s + 4 05' 38.2" 1.117 1.186 12.3 61.0
15 Nov 2004 7:43:04 19h13m35.15s + 3 59' 41.6" 1.138 1.209 12.5 61.4
16 Nov 2004 7:43:04 19h19m15.70s + 3 53' 55.8" 1.160 1.232 12.6 61.8
17 Nov 2004 7:43:04 19h24m44.29s + 3 48' 21.8" 1.181 1.256 12.7 62.1
18 Nov 2004 7:43:04 19h30m01.46s + 3 43' 00.4" 1.202 1.281 12.8 62.4
19 Nov 2004 7:43:04 19h35m07.75s + 3 37' 52.2" 1.223 1.306 13.0 62.7
20 Nov 2004 7:43:04 19h40m03.67s + 3 32' 57.6" 1.244 1.331 13.1 62.9
21 Nov 2004 7:43:04 19h44m49.72s + 3 28' 16.9" 1.265 1.356 13.2 63.0
22 Nov 2004 7:43:04 19h49m26.39s + 3 23' 50.2" 1.286 1.382 13.3 63.1
23 Nov 2004 7:43:04 19h53m54.14s + 3 19' 37.7" 1.306 1.408 13.4 63.2
24 Nov 2004 7:43:04 19h58m13.39s + 3 15' 39.4" 1.326 1.435 13.5 63.3
25 Nov 2004 7:43:04 20h02m24.59s + 3 11' 55.1" 1.346 1.461 13.6 63.3
26 Nov 2004 7:43:04 20h06m28.12s + 3 08' 24.9" 1.366 1.488 13.7 63.3
27 Nov 2004 7:43:04 20h10m24.36s + 3 05' 08.5" 1.386 1.515 13.8 63.2
28 Nov 2004 7:43:04 20h14m13.68s + 3 02' 05.8" 1.406 1.542 13.9 63.1
29 Nov 2004 7:43:04 20h17m56.43s + 2 59' 16.6" 1.426 1.569 14.0 63.0
30 Nov 2004 7:43:04 20h21m32.92s + 2 56' 40.7" 1.445 1.597 14.1 62.9
1 Dec 2004 7:43:04 20h25m03.46s + 2 54' 17.8" 1.464 1.624 14.2 62.8
2 Dec 2004 7:43:04 20h28m28.35s + 2 52' 07.6" 1.484 1.652 14.3 62.6
3 Dec 2004 7:43:04 20h31m47.85s + 2 50' 10.0" 1.503 1.680 14.4 62.4
4 Dec 2004 7:43:04 20h35m02.23s + 2 48' 24.6" 1.522 1.708 14.5 62.2
5 Dec 2004 7:43:04 20h38m11.73s + 2 46' 51.2" 1.541 1.736 14.6 61.9
6 Dec 2004 7:43:04 20h41m16.58s + 2 45' 29.5" 1.559 1.764 14.7 61.7
7 Dec 2004 7:43:04 20h44m17.01s + 2 44' 19.3" 1.578 1.792 14.7 61.4
8 Dec 2004 7:43:04 20h47m13.21s + 2 43' 20.2" 1.597 1.820 14.8 61.1
9 Dec 2004 7:43:04 20h50m05.39s + 2 42' 32.2" 1.615 1.848 14.9 60.8
10 Dec 2004 7:43:04 20h52m53.73s + 2 41' 54.8" 1.634 1.877 15.0 60.5