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Updated on October 9, 2007 |
Go to Seiichi Yoshida's Diary of Comet Observations in 2007. |
2006 Dec. 22-23 (9 comets)I observed 9 comets visually on Dec. 22 and 23 in Kita-karuizawa, Gunma, Japan. Mt. Asama was decorated with snow, and the parking area was also covered with snow. The roads in the mountains were partially frozen. However, there was no snow around the observing area. On Dec. 22, the large clouds were about to go away in the evening. But actually, it was almost completely cloudy in the evening, and kept mostly cloudy for a while. I only could see stars through small fine spaces, but sometimes interrupted. Not so clear sky. However, after 22:30 local time, it turned to be fine. Then it kept clear fine sky until morning. The autumn and winter Milky Way became clear. But the temperature cooled down from 0 to -3 centigrade. Before dawn of the night, I could see many Ursids meteors in northern sky after I put away my telescope. I counted 7 meteors during about 7-8 minutes around 5:30 local time. It means HR=60 or so. So maybe it was an outburst of Ursids. On Dec. 23, the daytime fine sky kept after the sunset. I could see a beautiful thin Moon. However, many small clouds came after 20:00 local time. The sky was covered with clouds before mid night. A little snow fell. I also tried to observe C/2006 L1 ( Garradd ). But I brought a wrong chart based on the old orbital elements, and I failed to catch it. After I came back home, I found that the comet was about 40 arcmin off from my chart position. Then I understood why nothing was visible at my chart position. Because this comet brightened unexpectedly, I was possessed with a thought that the comet got diffuse and faded out suddenly. Therefore, I tried to find a diffuse object with larger magnification in the field. I did not try to search around the position. C/2003 WT42 ( LINEAR )
P/2006 HR30 ( Siding Spring )
C/2006 L2 ( McNaught )
C/2006 M4 ( SWAN )
4P/Faye
29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
76P/West-Kohoutek-Ikemura
84P/Giclas
181P/Shoemaker-Levy 6
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2006 Oct. 31 (9 comets)I observed 9 comets visually on Oct. 31 in Kita-karuizawa, Gunma, Japan. The mountain trees turn red or yellow, so it is a beautiful sight. The sky was very hazy in the evening. Strongly influenced by the half moon, and the sky was bad as if in the city. I could not see the Milky Way. It was difficult to trace Hercules with my naked eyes. The sky was temporarily covered with clouds around 18:00, but became fine again around 18:30. Then it kept fine all night. At midnight, the sky became clear. Especially, after the moon set, many faint stars became visible. So did the Milky Way, of course. In the morning, the winter Milky Way and the zodiacal light were visible. After the morning glow began, some clouds visited suddenly. C/2005 E2 ( McNaught )
C/2005 YW ( LINEAR )
P/2006 HR30 ( Siding Spring )
C/2006 L1 ( Garradd )
C/2006 M4 ( SWAN )
P/2006 T1 ( Levy )
4P/Faye
29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
177P/Barnard 2
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2006 Oct. 9 (5 comets)I observed 5 comets visually on Oct. 9 in Kita-karuizawa, Gunma, Japan. We could have a clear fine sky for several days in Japan. Although the full moon shines, I went to observe comets, especially a new comet Levy, because it may be in outburst and may fade out soon. The weather forecast says it was rainy on Saturday and Sunday at the mountain location in Kita-Karuizawa, but it will be fine on Monday. Actually, the sky was clear and I could see mountain ridgelines far away clearly. But thin clouds expanded in the sky. In the evening, some parts of the sky was covered with clouds, especially the eastern and southern parts. But the western sky was fine. The full moon was hidden by clouds in the eastern sky for a while, and I could observe comets without strong moon light. After a while, the clouds moved away, and the full moon appeared. Then the sky became very bright immediately, and faint stars disappeared. In the morning, the sky was fine. I enjoyed the beautiful morning glow. I also tried to observe 4P/Faye. The comet was visible anyway. But it was impossible to estimate the magnitude because too close to the full moon. C/2006 L2 ( McNaught )
C/2006 M4 ( SWAN )
C/2006 P1 ( McNaught )
P/2006 T1 ( Levy )
177P/Barnard 2
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2006 Sept. 27 (11 comets)I observed 11 comets visually on Sept. 27 in Kita-karuizawa, Gunma, Japan. It was thunderstorm at noon in Tokyo. But the weather became fine in the evening in Gunma as forecasted. The weather was fine in the evening. But there were some clouds here and there, and they covered the sky sometimes. My observation was often interfered. Especially, a cloud existed in the southwest direction and disturbed obseravtions of evening low comets. In general, the northern and western sky was cloudy, but southern sky was fine. The sky was not so dark and not so clear, probably due to the humidity. Especially, the city light was intense in the eastern sky, as if it were just before the sunrise. Midnight, the sky became fine and clear with no clouds. Then the fine weather kept until the morning. I think I could see the North America Nebula with naked eyes. Maybe I just saw a dense part of the Milky Way. But I could see the famous shape of the North America. It was cloudy and sometimes rainy on Sept. 28 and 29. C/2005 E2 ( McNaught )
P/2006 HR30 ( Siding Spring )
C/2006 L2 ( McNaught )
C/2006 M4 ( SWAN )
C/2006 P1 ( McNaught )
4P/Faye
29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
71P/Clark
73P-C/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
117P/Helin-Roman-Alu 1
177P/Barnard 2
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2006 Aug. 22 (7 comets)
I observed 7 comets visually on Aug. 22 in Kita-karuizawa, Gunma, Japan. Weather had been bad since May in Japan, and I could finally observe comets after a long blank of three months and a half. I could have fine weather only one day during my stay of four days. But I could have an excellent clear sky for 45 minutes around midnight, and I could see some faint comets visually for the first time! P/2006 HR30 ( Siding Spring )
4P/Faye
29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
73P-B/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
73P-C/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
117P/Helin-Roman-Alu 1
177P/Barnard 2
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2006 Apr. 29-May 4 (13 comets)I observed 13 comets visually between Apr. 30 and May 4 in Kita-karuizawa, Gunma, Japan. I also report my observation of 73P-C on Apr. 29 in Toride, Ibaraki, Japan. I have been staying in mountain location in Kita-karuizawa for a week to observe Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3. Fortunately, I could have fine weather during my stay. It was fantastic to see the two naked eye fragments of 73P, C and B. The component C was magnificent. The component B had been brightening rapidly during this period. However, other fragments were much fainter than expected. Actually, I could not see the "train" of many fragments visually. I was very busy guiding my telescope to many components, but only disappointed because they were very faint. But, the two components C and B were fantastic anyway, and there were some more many visual comets in the sky, so I could enjoy. In fact, I printed charts using somewhat old orbital elements. So the positions of the components N and R were very different. Especially, I heard the component R became 12-13 mag in early May, but I could not observe. Many observers reported it around 13 mag, however, I could see only a faint 15.0 mag star at the position. I wonder why, but it was due to the chart problem. Apr. 29: It was cloudy until midnight. But at 3 a.m., clouds were going away and part of the sky was fine. While I was preparing my monocular, whole sky became fine in a short time. I could only observe 73P-C in my home. Apr. 30: Hard raining in the evening. Still raining at 10 p.m. However, after a short sleep, the sky became completely fine at midnight. The fine weather continued after that. However, at 3:30 a.m., rain started falling down suddenly despite of the fine sky without clouds. I was observing 73P around zenith at that time, so I had to stow away my telescope in a hurry. Clouds came within 10 minutes, then it became completely rainy around 3:50 a.m. I have never experienced such a situation before, rain falling down while observing comets despite of the fine sky without clouds. May 1: It became fine in the evening, but hazy in the low sky. I saw thunder light in the north frequently. Then clouds came and it became rainy around 10 p.m. May 2: It was rainy in the morning, cloudy afternoon. However, the sky became fine rapidly after the sunset, and I could have an excellent clear sky with no clouds or haze at all at 7:30 p.m. Especially, the sky was excellent after moon set, when I enjoyed the complex pattern and Messier objects in the Milky Way with naked eyes. Stars were visible just after rising or before set. The sky was completely dark until morning, except for the eastern low sky which influenced by the city light of Tokyo. May 3: Fine weather continued from the previous day. But the sky was slightly hazy in the evening and influenced by the moon light. After midnight, after the moon set, the sky was very clear. However, it became hazy suddenly around 3 a.m., then whole sky was covered with thin clouds soon. May 4: Fine weather still continued. But the sky became more hazy. It was strongly influenced by the moon light in the evening. Thin clouds existed in the low sky. But the seeing was excellent. I enjoyed Saturn with high magnification, which looked similar to the photo by Hubble Space Telescope. After midnight, after the moon set, the sky was very clear. Thin clouds in the low sky disappeared at dawn. C/2003 WT42 ( LINEAR )
C/2004 B1 ( LINEAR )
C/2005 E2 ( McNaught )
C/2006 A1 ( Pojmanski )
4P/Faye
41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak
71P/Clark
73P-B/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
73P-C/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
73P-G/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
73P-AP/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
73P-AS/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
73P-BC/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
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2006 Apr. 17 (5 comets)I observed 5 comets visually on Apr. 17 in Mt. Hanadate, Ibaraki, Japan. I observed comets beside the cherry blossom trees in full bloom in the park. However, the sky was very hazy and the condition was very bad. Stars are hard to see except for the zenith part. So all comets were easier to see with higher magnification. The seeing was not very bad. I could enjoy Jupiter somewhat low in the morning. C/2003 WT42 ( LINEAR )
C/2006 A1 ( Pojmanski )
73P-B/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
73P-C/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
73P-G/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
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2006 Mar. 31 (8 comets)I observed 8 comets visually on Mar. 31 in Mt. Hanadate, Ibaraki, Japan. It was fine from midnight to morning, but the sky was a bit hazy and not an excellent clear sky. Due to the poor seeing, the higher magnification (257x) did not help to see faint stars. Unfortunately, two bright comets were overlapping on stars and impossible to observe in good condition. I also tried to observe P/2005 XA54, P/2004 VR8. But they were not visible, and not worth being reported due to the bright limiting magnitude. C/2003 WT42 ( LINEAR )
C/2004 B1 ( LINEAR )
C/2004 D1 ( NEAT )
C/2006 A1 ( Pojmanski )
71P/Clark
73P-B/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
73P-C/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
73P-G/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
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2006 Mar. 4-5 (5 comets)I observed 5 comets visually on Mar. 4 and 5 in Mt. Hanadate, Ibaraki, Japan. On Saturday, many people came to see Comet Pojmanski! They said it had been find until midnight. However, when I arrived at 2 a.m., it was completely cloudy. But surprisingly, just before the morning glow began, the clouds started going away, then the weather suddenly became fine. So we could have a fine sky only for a quarter hour and succeeded to see Comet Pojmanski! But the sky was covered with thin clouds, so the condition was poor. On Sunday, the weather was fine, but the sky was hazy. The condition to see comets was much worse than Feb. 27. C/2003 WT42 ( LINEAR )
P/2005 XA54 ( LONEOS-Hill )
C/2006 A1 ( Pojmanski )
73P-B/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
73P-C/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
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2006 Feb. 27 (7 comets)I observed 7 comets visually on Feb. 27 in Mt. Hanadate, Ibaraki, Japan. It was almost cloudy but sometimes fine in the daytime. In the evening, the clouds became thinner, but the sky was still covered with thin clouds and hazy. So no faint stars were visible. However, the clouds went away and I could have excellent clear sky for several hours around midnight. But unfortunately, the clouds came again around 3 a.m., then the sky was completely covered with clouds before dawn. I could not see Venus, and of course I could not observe C/2006 A1. C/2003 WT42 ( LINEAR )
P/2004 VR8 ( LONEOS )
C/2005 E2 ( McNaught )
P/2005 XA54 ( LONEOS-Hill )
29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
73P-B/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
73P-C/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
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2006 Jan. 8 (8 comets)I observed 8 comets visually on Jan. 8 in Mt. Hanadate, Ibaraki, Japan. I could have an excellent clear sky all night, although a bright half moon interfered in the evening. The air seemed very dry. Probably that is why the sky has been so clear. I could have an excellent view of surrounding mountains far away at dusk and after sunrise. I also tried to observe C/2005 N1. But the GSC data is illegal just around the comet position. So I could not determine the exact position of the comet and failed to observe it. (60558) 2000 EC98
C/2003 K4 ( LINEAR )
C/2003 WT42 ( LINEAR )
C/2004 Q2 ( Machholz )
P/2004 VR8 ( LONEOS )
C/2005 E2 ( McNaught )
29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
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Go to Seiichi Yoshida's Diary of Comet Observations in 2005. |