Astronomy

Observing Log for

Session Details


Victoria Park, Aberdeen

57.1517, -2.1225

10m

Notes

Mild, calm, very clear skies.

Observations

Comet C/2013 R1 Lovejoy

Knowing that Comet Lovejoy was now in Hercules I took several exposures of the keystone asterism soon finding the comet (and the globular cluster M13) in the viewfinder. Its bright nucleus was not visible against the city lights but the nucleus and an expanse of tail were visibile in the photos.

Comet Lovejoy and the Keystone of Hercules

1x5s exposure at ISO 800, 50mm at f/1.8, processed using Aperture.

Geminid Meteor Shower

The peak of the shower was due around 02:00UTC but with a bright Moon and clearing skies I waited until around 04:30 to go outside and observe the clear night sky. Over the course of 40 minutes I saw 11 Geminids, with another possible two or three seen in my peripheral vision. There was one particularly bright fireball at around 05:05UTC that streaked through the sky below Ursa Major leaving a smoky trail in its wake.

Images