Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann
RA:-- -- --, Dec:+-- -- --, mag: 7.0, Size:--, Dist: 1 AU

Single 60s exposure

(Click here to see high resolution version ~500kB)

28x60s exposures combined (stars trailed due to comet motion)

(Click here to see high resolution version ~500kB)

Comet animation

Object:	This comet is breaking up, currently into about 70 pieces. It has several bright trailing components extending over an area of sky larger than that captured in the image above (1.4 x 0.9 degrees). Over the duration of the exposures (31m 45s) the comet moved from RA 18 04 27 to RA 18 05 54, corresponding to a rate of about 0.24 arcsec/s, with very little movement in declination. The top image is a single exposure, and the second one an average of 28 showing the movement of the comet over this time.
Exposure:	L: 28x60s
Equipment:	Takahashi Sky90 90mm, f/5.6. 0.8 reducer. SXV-H9 CCD [1x1 mode].
Location:	5th May 2006 23:40 UT, Oxford UK.
Processing:	Log-stretched. For animation, alternate images resized 50%, compressed and layered in Image-Ready with 0.5s delay between each frame.