Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy

Discovered on the 17th August by the renound Terry Lovejoy with a very modest set up 8 " Schmidt–Cassegrain telescope. C2014 Q2  was discovered at apparent magnitude 15 in the southern constellation of Puppis, from his observatory in Brisbane, Australia. This long period comet has arrived at an inclination of 80 degrees so we can be sure it originated from the Oort cloud. Orbital calculations show that this passage of the comet was 11,000 years. But our solar system have had a dramatic effect pulling on the comet and reduced it's next pass to 8,000 years.

 --------------------------------------------

 

We have had to wait until late December to get our first glimpse in the northern hemisphere. My first visual and 2nd "Lovejoy" comet was Tuesday 6th at the Ellingham observatory using the 20". The nucleus virtually filled the eyepice and was also a very pleasing sight in the binoculars. The recent high winds have slowed and the forecast for last night was to be clear. Dome open as early as possible allowing scopes to reach ambient temperture. CCD cooled to minus 27 degrees (outside temp 3degrees), scope pointed and centered on the trees across the road from me, awaiting it's rise above the treeline. First image captured at 18.29. A series of 23 x 2 minute exposures. Cropped and overprocessed to show the tail structure.

I have cropped further for the second image and produced an inverse or negative. To me this is more impressive as it clearly shows the tidal ribbons of dust. Images in late December showed some tail disconnection, powerful solar winds cause these disconnections and came sometimes rip a stream from the tail completely. Nothing visible here although the larger central portion appears to be snaking back nicely with the solar wind.

 

 

 

 

 --------------------------------------------

 

 

 

These images are the same series as above but processed a little differntly to focus on just the comet nucleus. Virtually no tail structure can be seen here but for me a more realistic and cleaner image of it's icy core. Iam also amazed at the colours. "The colour is likely due to the presence of two gases cyanogen (CN)2 and diatomic carbon (C2) which glow green when their molecules are ionised or excited.

                                         

 

"Ionisation causes electrons within the molecules to gain energy and when the electrons drop back down to their normal state, they give off light of a certain wavelength. For these molecules, they emit green light and since they are very strong emitters, their green colour dominates the comet."

 

 

 

 

Still wanting a little more, I gave the image an extreme crop on the nucleus and removed colour. What I cant tell is have I captured the nucleus shape or is this just pixel drift?. Tell me what you think. Your comment always welcomed.

 

 

----------------------------------