| Comet
Linear C/2001 A2
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Comet Linear
may become bright enough to be visible in binoculars, but initially it
is moving southward and will be difficult for observers in the northern
hemisphere as summer approaches. Later in July and August Comet linear
will move north and be nicely placed for viewing in the early morning,
about an hour or two before sunrise. The circles show the comets
position at UT=0. The time period between circles is 5 days.
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 You can just start to see a tiny tail at the left edge of the comet. The "bright" star just below the comet is GSC 5349:579 (magnitude 13.5). I measured the comets brightness as magnitude 12.9 using Astro Art Photometry feature. |
Scope: 8" LX 200 SCT |
| MX - 5C CCD & STAR 2000 w/ IDAS LPR filter. | |
| Focal Ratio: f4.2 | |
| Exposure: Two 10 min and one 20 min exposures combined. | |
 The comet was getting very low on my horizon for these images. I was getting sever light polution , but you can just make out the faint tail to the left of the comet. |
Scope: 8" LX 200 SCT |
| MX - 5C CCD & STAR 2000 w/ IDAS LPR filter. | |
| Focal Ratio: f6.6 | |
| Exposure: Two 10 min exposures combined. | |
 The coma for the comet is really quite large in this very long time exposure. It is about 2/3 the diameter of the full moon. The tail is very light and tenuous, flowing down to the right. The streaks are trails caused by stars as the telescope followed the moving comet. |
Scope: 8" LX 200 SCT |
| MX - 5C CCD & STAR 2000 w/ IDAS LPR filter. The STAR 2000 tracked on the comet and trailed the stars. | |
| Focal Ratio: f3.3 | |
| Exposure: Four separate exposures. One 5 min, one ten min and two twenty min (55 min total). The field of view for the image is about 22 arc min on each side. I measured the brightness of the center of the comet as magnotude 11.0 . | |
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