Re: [APML]: Tabur and M108

[byen@ix.netcom.com]

Jerry Lodriguss wrote:
> 
> 
> Anybody shoot comet Tabur last night when it passed M108?
> 
> I tried to shoot it early Sat morning (approx 5:30 am), but I had some
> trouble (I thought) with my ST-4, it just wouldn't give me any value at all
> on any star. I thought the cable had finally given out after falling in the
> 20 degree temp, but after an hour I figured out that I had accidentally
> breathed on the diagonal!
> 
> Anyway, by the time I figured that out, it was the start of twilight. I
> knocked out one quick frame for 10 min at f/4 with a 500mm lens, but I
> didn't have time to set up the ST-4 or even manually guide it.  So I just
> let it track at the king rate.  Naturally, the stars are trailed, and the
> comet is really moving fast, so it's trailed too.  However, it is in the
> same field with M97 and M108 in the 500mm, so it would have been a nice picture.
> 
> Nice bright comet!

I went out to Mt. Pinos last Thursday (10/10), to shoot both H-B and Tabur (and 
do some film tests on PPF).

 Tabur formed a triangle with the 2 Big Dipper stars (which point to Polaris).  
At 40x using AP 5.1" EDT refractor, I could swear I saw a thin tail and "near 
nucleus blow-off" to the side.  This was confirmed in the photo w 8" Schmidt 
camera (about 1.25 deg long tail, narrow).  The Fuji 800 shot seems to show 
more coma & tail than the PPF 400 shot (both 4 min exposures).  The PPF neg 
shows a magenta sky background, and it's slight possibility this is the reason 
for this perception.

  H-B was situated about midway between the 2 globular clusters, M14 and 
NGC6366.  Again, the Fuji SG 800+ seems to show more coma/tail.  I get the 
feeling PPF (unhypered) lacks a bit in blue.

 I did shoot the Veil on both color films, and the PPF seems to show a bit more 
of this wisps.  I shot IC1396 (unfiltered), and the TP neg (D-19 developed) 
shows the nebula discernible.  On PPF neg, there is a hint of green.  (I'm not 
familiar with this object; I think it's faint red nebula & most people shoot it 
red-filtered.)  I get the feeling PPF's red response is good.

At f1.5, I'm getting well exposed PPF (unhypered) negs at 2 min for! (also for 
Fuji 800).  4 min exposures, show increased sky density.  There is no 
noticeable difference in contrast between the object against the sky 
background, in either neg.

 I did shoot a roll of PPF (120) on various objects.  The acid-test is on 
Orion, to see if I can pick up Barnard's Loop.  I know, the old Fuji SHG400 was 
able to pick it up.  I'm picking up film tomorrow, so I'll post my results.    

  I saw so many meteors that night, even catching a bright one in binos (and 
tracking it, with the halo across the entire field of view).  Anyone else 
notice any hightened meteor activity?


Bob