Hello all. For those that might not know about this comet, I want to take a minute to bring your attention to this. It is now at about the same distance from the Sun as Earth in the E-N/E sky and making a quick trip towards and around our star. Only a few weeks ago it couldn't to be seen from our location but is now visible with a small scope and has grown a tail which is getting bigger and brighter each day. Best view or the only viewing will be from 4am our time untill the light starts to wash it out. The moon is good for the next few days but the new moon around June 11-12 will be excellent if it doesn't come apart. It is quite possibly going to be naked eye and perhaps very impressive naked eye. Things must come together for a great show. I will try to post images when the weather allows which has been bad as you know. Good Hunting!
Mike H.

Thanks!
Mike B.

Cool image, Mike! Is the second image a crop of a larger image (ie. were both images originally take at the same scale?) There is some very good detail in the second image.

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Dave - Morrow, AR

Both images were taken with the same setup. Also both were a 1x1 bin of the pixels. The second image was taken without any filter and the first was taken through a clear filter with IR and UV block. The noise level is more without the filter but this crazy comet sets just above the distant tree tops in the hazzy muck and all ways possible are needed toimage it. The detail is more because the comet is really starting to crank it up as it approaches the Sun. Best viewing is about 4am our time if any want to use binoculars. Still have hopes of a tail at first light with the naked eye in a few weeks.
Mike

That is so cool! For this kind of events is for which I'd love to have a one shot camera!
Are you stacking the images with DSS?

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Pablo - Fayetteville, AR

Thanks! I use CcdSoftV5 for stacking. Errors occur but a comet has bright areas that are not easy to aleign. Makes the stars not line up. Could probably do better with different software but I can't keep up with all I have. I will switch to the TV60is this week so the FOV will cover the comet. After that the DSLR will be hooked to the TV60. I guess a ST2000xm and a 120mm camera lense could be used later. So much stuff to remember.
Mike

Comet C/2009 R1 should put on a good show for us at the MMSP on Saturday and Sunday mornings. On Saturday morning, weather permitting, the comet will rise at around 2:30 am. It will be located in the vicinity of NGC 1245 near the western border of the constellation of Perseus at a estimated magnitude of between 4 and 6 (Naked eye visible).

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nSpace01

Hello. I hope you are able to look for this comet at the Mulberry get-together but let me say that this will not be easy from the level of the river. I don't know where the camp ground is exactly as I have not been up to that camp ground. I do know the area as I have hunted it all my life and it might be a good idea to go out Friday afternoon and find a high clear pasture to look for the comet. It sits low and a good sky to the N/E is important I am hoping to attend Friday night if work allows and will help with this if I make it. I have no doubt that if weather permiting this could be an excellent object to find with the probably 10 degree tail showing. Binoculars will be the best tool to see this vistor and will also show the tail best. Good luck to all and I will do a dance to the cloud gods for a break in the weather for all.
Mike

Hello. I hope you are able to look for this comet at the Mulberry get-together but let me say that this will not be easy from the level of the river. I don't know where the camp ground is exactly as I have not been up to that camp ground. I do know the area as I have hunted it all my life and it might be a good idea to go out Friday afternoon and find a high clear pasture to look for the comet. It sits low and a good sky to the N/E is important I am hoping to attend Friday night if work allows and will help with this if I make it. I have no doubt that if weather permiting this could be an excellent object to find with the probably 10 degree tail showing. Binoculars will be the best tool to see this vistor and will also show the tail best. Good luck to all and I will do a dance to the cloud gods for a break in the weather for all.
Mike

A few of us got to see the comet through Jim Fisher's 80mm WO scope ...........a green powder puff with just a hint of a tail.........My 11" was hopelessly dewed up by then ........3:30am .................

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nSpace01

Here is an image from June 13th. I might be able to capture the comet once more if the clouds alow me in the next 2 or 3 days. After that it will be gone.
Thanks, Mike

Great pic.........Looks like it has a split (ion) tail to the lower right............

By the way.............Mulberry Mountain is about 1,600 feet above sea level.

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nSpace01

Here is the final image of this comet I will get. It is from the 17th and I already knew this comet was not getting brighter. At this link is a good detailed report about why.
http://transientsky.wordpress.com/
This was shot through some clouds limiting the processing to keep down the really bad stuff that would show.
Thanks for looking
Mike H.