Comet fragments C & B

by Rich Neuschaefer

Several of us were looking for the fragments of comet Schwassmann-Wachmann. We were using the finder chart from http://www.skyhound.com/sh/comets/73P.gif

We could easily see the C fragment and expected to see the B fragment because it had been reported seen a couple of nights earlier. However, per the finder chart the B fragment was not to be seen but a little farther wast we could see a fragment that is right where the chart shows the G fragment. These fragments look like small comets.

Nuts. I hate it when I'm wrong. :-)

I was not reading the comet finder chart correctly. The 4/29 track on the chart for the B fragment is correct. What was confusing was the letter "B" was on the 4/30 track only.

So, we were seeing fragment B and not fragment G.

From Coe both fragments would be seen in a 10x42 binocular. We had very nice views of the fragments in 6" and 8" telescopes. The C fragment was moving quite fast past the background stars.

Posted on sf-bay-tac Apr 30, 2006 04:58:26 PT
Converted by report.pm 1.4 May 02, 2006 20:32:11 PT