Observations of Comet 73P-B/Schwassman-Wachmann 3
All observations by Carl Hergenrother, Lunar and Planetary Lab (LPL), University of Arizona & Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO)
73P-B
73P-B on 2006 Apr. 8.51 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with Sloan i filter
4 x 30-second co-added image
1.8" seeing through variable cirrus
log display
7.5' by 6' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
Contour plot of central 20" x 20"
73P-B on 2006 Apr. 9.43 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with Sloan i filter
21 x 30-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.3" seeing through variable cirrus
log display
7.5' by 6' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
Contour plot of central 20" x 20"
73P-B on 2006 Apr. 11.38 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with Sloan i filter
21 x 30-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
2.0" seeing, photometric
log display
7.5' by 6' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
Contour plot of central 20" x 20"
73P-B on 2006 Apr. 12.29 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with Sloan i filter
45 x 20-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.5" seeing, photometric
log display
7.5' by 6' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
The diffuse feature to the upper left of the comet is a cross-talk artifact.
The KeplerCam CCD camera has a number of amplifiers that read out parts of the
chip at the same time. This speeds up the readout. If a bright saturated star
is located on one amplifier, its ghost image will appear on all the other
amplifiers. It is a cross-talk artifact and not another component of 73P.
Contour plot of central 20" x 20"
73P-B on 2006 Apr. 13.27 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with Sloan i filter
17 x 20-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.6" seeing, photometric
log display
7.5' by 6' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
Contour plot of central 20" x 20"
73P-B on 2006 Apr. 15.39 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with Sloan i filter
30 x 30-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
2.0-2.5" seeing, very light cirrus, near full moon
log display
7.5' by 6' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
Contour plot of central 20" x 20"
73P-B on 2006 Apr. 16.30 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with Sloan i filter
20 x 20-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.3" seeing, photometric, bright moon
log display
7.5' by 6' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
Contour plot of central 20" x 20"
73P-B on 2006 Apr. 17.49 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with Sloan i filter
11 x 20-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.7" seeing, photometric, bright moon, twilight
log display
7.5' by 6' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
Contour plot of central 20" x 20"
73P-B on 2006 Apr. 18.31 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with Sloan i filter
16 x 20-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.6" seeing, photometric, bright moon
log display
7.5' by 6' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
Contour plot of central 20" x 20"
73P-B on 2006 Apr. 19.49 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with Sloan i filter
9 x 15-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.6" seeing, photometric, bright moon
log display
7.5' by 6' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
Contour plot of central 20" x 20"
73P-B on 2006 Apr. 20.31 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with Sloan i filter
21 x 15-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.5" seeing, photometric, bright moon
log display
7.5' by 6' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
Contour plot of central 20" x 20"
73P-B on 2006 Apr. 21.28 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with Sloan i filter
21 x 15-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.6" seeing, photometric, bright moon
linear display
7.5' by 6' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
Contour plot of central 20" x 20"
73P-B on 2006 Apr. 30.40 UT
Vatican 1.8-meter at Mount Graham (MPC code 290) with a R filter
41 x 10-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.1" seeing, photometric
processed display
2.9' by 2.7' FOV (plate scale 0.56" / pixel)
73P-B on 2006 May 1.3 UT
Vatican 1.8-meter at Mount Graham (MPC code 290) with186 a R filter
51 x 30-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.1" seeing, photometric
processed display
2.9' by 2.7' FOV (plate scale 0.56" / pixel)
73P-B
73P-B on 2006 May 4.47 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with a Sloan i filter
21 x 10-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.5" seeing, non-photometric
processed display
6.7' by 5.8' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
73P-B on 2006 May 5.47 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with a Sloan r filter
36 x 10-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.5" seeing, photometric
processed display
6.7' by 5.8' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
73P-B on 2006 May 7.41 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with a Sloan r filter
31 x 8-second averaged image (5 brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.5" seeing, photometric
processed display
6.7' by 5.8' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
73P-B on 2006 May 8.47 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with a Sloan i filter
26 x 8-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.5" seeing, photometric
processed display
6.7' by 5.8' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
73P-B on 2006 May 9.47 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with a Sloan i filter
51 x 5-second averaged image (5 brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.5" seeing, photometric
processed display
6.7' by 5.8' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
73P-B on 2006 May 11.47 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with a Sloan i filter
30 x 20-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.3" seeing, photometric
processed display
6.9' by 5.0' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
73P-B on 2006 May 12.45 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with a Sloan i filter
25 x 40-second averaged image (brightest pixel rejected to eliminate cosmic rays)
1.4" seeing, photometric
processed display
6.9' by 5.0' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)
73P-B on 2006 May 14.46 UT
SAO 1.2-meter at Mount Hopkins (MPC code 696) with a Sloan i filter
15 x 40-second averaged image (3 brightest pixels rejected to eliminate cosmic rays and stars)
1.4" seeing, photometric
processed display
6.9' by 5.0' FOV (plate scale 0.67" / pixel)

A processed view...

Zoomed in on the main nucleus (processed image)...