Astronomy Observing Reports: COMET C/2013 X1 PANSTARRS

Thursday, June 16, 2016

COMET C/2013 X1 PANSTARRS

Location: A pullout off Hwy 790, east of Dipper Harbour, NB

Date Time: June 15, 2016 0313-0430hrs ADT

Weather: Mostly Clear, no wind, 6C.

Attendance: Edward O and David M

Equipment: Eds 15x70 binoculars and my tripod mounted Canon Rebel Xsi with 18-55mm and 75-300mm lenses.

Objective: To view and image Comet C/2013 X1 Panstarrs which was in Microscopium during observing time according to Heavens-above.com Comet was reported to be magnitude 6.5.

Highlights:

Left the house in Little Lepreau at 0313hrs. Just before getting into truck, seen two fast moving shooting stars in the NE and in the SE.
Arrived at pullout near Dipper Harbour at 0334hrs. I set camera up and started taking long exposure images with camera while Ed was scanning the SSE for the Comet. We both scanned the SSE around Microscopium with Ed binoculars, but neither one of us could see Comet. I searched the view screen of camera of the images already taken, but couldn't see a comet.
After getting home and processing images, comet popped out right where it was reported to be by Heavens-above.com. Ed and I agreed that the comet was much fainter than 6.5. Ed thought 8.5, while I thought 9, but it was very low in the sky, just a few degrees above the horizon.
Ed and I both located M31 with binculars. Stood out very well as easily the brightest Galaxy in the sky. It was viewable with averted vision by naked eye.
Ed located M13 in Hercules with binoculars, then pointed it out to me. By this time first light was showing and washed it out some, but some of its thousands of stars were visible.
Close to the end of observing time, while imaging the comet area, a very fast moving bolide came straight down just to the right of where the Comet was.
First light was around 0400hrs!
Altogether, I seen two shooting stars and one bolide and Ed seen one. No satellites were seen.

Images: