This is a normally-inconspicuous object of the
Centaur group, which orbits between Jupiter and Saturn. But it's also well-known for producing outbursts, which make it somewhat brighter. One of these was reported at the end of last month, so last night I had a look for it from my garden.
Although it's fairly low in the sky in
Aquarius, I could see it on 90-second exposures with my old
Mx716 CCD camera (attached to my
C8 telescope operating at f/3.3).
- Comet 29P on 9-Oct. 40x 90-sec with Mx716 on C8 at f/3.3
- 29p_9oct.png (152.93 KiB) Viewed 1264 times
This brings my tally of comet detections up to one hundred - 97 of which have been in the last sixteen years, and half of those in the last three!
....only 3 to go Ross to hit the big 100....well done.