SWAN M4 was the brightest comet of the year 2006. For a long time it was announced with a luminous intensity of max. mag * 8-9, and would have been an object for larger telescopes. Around the 24th of October however the brightness arose to mag 4.2 whereby the luminous intensity  on the 25th of Oct. was seen with the naked eye. The comet became estimated by me up to mag 3,8. This constant brightness was observed since the 26th of Oct. afterwards bad weather was dominating in Southern Germany. It is remarkable that the comet tail showed a noticeable brightness in the comparison to the coma.

Map

Further detail maps under Winnies homepage

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26th of October 2006

tb

tb  mr mr

TB/ MR; Auerberg/ Bavaria: Nikon 480mm (dig)/2.8; 90 seconds;  ASA 800 Canon 20D

Swan M4 shows a very bright comet tail in the ' Corkscrew form '. This suggests a strong rotation of the comet nucleus.

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25th of October

tb

     tb

TB; Moorenweis, Fuerstenfeldbruck, Bavaria: Nikon 480mm (dig)/2.8; 80 seconds;  ASA 800 Canon 20D

The comet appears with a very broad and bright tail, which suggests a larger material loss. Possibly an explosion in or on the comet nucleus was the consequence.

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19th of October

tb

TB; Nikon 3040mm (dig) Newtonian; 90 seconds, Canon 20D

17th of October

   tb   

TB; Nikon 480mm (dig)/2.8; 105 seconds, Canon 20D

Comet SwanM4 close to the star Seginus of Bootes. The comet with apprx. mag 6-7 could hardly be recognized with the naked eye.

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    mr

 Small astro collection from Martin on the 25th of October 06

North America -, Andromeda- and Veil nebula.

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*mag  = > light magnitude: Up to mag +3-4 stars are visible nearby cities with the naked eye, in very dark areas the seeing limit can reach up to mag +6-7.

The more higher numerical value is given, the more weaker are the objects. E.g. - 4,7 mag, Venus glittering; - 1,0 Sirius, brightest star; +3,5 M31 Andromeda, pale shiny oval)

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All comet observations from 2001 up to now ..

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Links

   astronomie.de