* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: Comet C/2009 P1 (Garradd)

Blobrana · L

The magnitude 6.4 Comet C/2009 P1 (Garradd) will pass 0.51° from the magnitude 6.5 globular cluster M92 on the 3rd February, 2012.

Blobrana · L

Title: The chemical composition of CO-rich comet C/2009 P1 (Garradd) at Rh = 2.4 and 2.0 AU before perihelion
Authors: L. Paganini, M. J. Mumma, G. L. Villanueva, M. A. DiSanti, B. P. Bonev, M. Lippi, H. Boehnhardt

We quantified ten parent volatiles in comet C/2009 P1 (Garradd) before perihelion, through high-dispersion infrared spectra acquired with CRIRES at ESO's VLT on UT 2011 August 07 (Rh = 2.4 AU) and September 17-21 (Rh = 2.0 AU). On August 07, water was searched but not detected at an upper limit (3{\sigma}) of 2.1 x 10^28 s-1, while ethane was detected with a production rate of 6.1 x 10^26 s-1 (apparent mixing ratio > 2.90%). On September 17-21, the mean production rate for water was 8.4 x 10^28 s-1, and abundance ratios (relative to water) of detected trace species were: CO (12.51%), CH3OH (3.90%), CH4 (1.24%), C2H6 (1.01%) and HCN (0.36%). Upper limits (3{\sigma}) to abundances for four minor species were: NH3 (1.55%), C2H2 (0.13%), HDO (0.89%) and OCS (0.20%). Given the relatively large heliocentric distance, we explored the effect of water not being fully sublimated within our FOV and identified the 'missing' water fraction needed to reconcile the retrieved abundance ratios with the mean values found for "organics-normal". The individual spatial profiles of parent volatiles and the continuum displayed rather asymmetric outgassing. Indications of H2O and CO gas being released in different directions suggest different active vents and/or the possible existence of polar and apolar ice aggregates in the nucleus. The high fractional abundance of CO identifies comet C/2009 P1 as a CO-rich comet.

Read more (508kb, PDF)

Blobrana · L

Comet C/2009 P1 Garradd is best seen during the early morning in February and March. The comet is visible using binoculars but fades to 8th magnitude at the end of March.
The comet is close to the star Kochab in Ursa Minor on the 6th March and the "Pointers" in Ursa Major on 21st March.

Ephemeris

Date    TT    R. A. (2000) Decl.     Delta      r     Elong.  Phase   Mag
2012 02 01    17 17 20.5 +41 17 21   1.5479  1.6421    77.3    35.8   7.1
2012 02 02    17 16 12.9 +41 58 25   1.5346  1.6466    78.3    35.9   7.1
2012 02 03    17 15 00.4 +42 40 28   1.5213  1.6513    79.3    35.9   7.1
2012 02 04    17 13 42.5 +43 23 30   1.5082  1.6560    80.2    35.9   7.1
2012 02 05    17 12 18.8 +44 07 32   1.4953  1.6608    81.2    35.9   7.1
2012 02 06    17 10 48.8 +44 52 33   1.4824  1.6657    82.2    35.9   7.1
2012 02 07    17 09 12.1 +45 38 34   1.4698  1.6707    83.2    35.9   7.1
2012 02 08    17 07 28.2 +46 25 35   1.4573  1.6758    84.3    35.8   7.1
2012 02 09    17 05 36.5 +47 13 33   1.4450  1.6810    85.3    35.8   7.1
2012 02 10    17 03 36.3 +48 02 30   1.4330  1.6863    86.3    35.7   7.1
2012 02 11    17 01 27.0 +48 52 24   1.4212  1.6917    87.3    35.6   7.0
2012 02 12    16 59 07.8 +49 43 12   1.4096  1.6971    88.3    35.5   7.0
2012 02 13    16 56 37.8 +50 34 54   1.3984  1.7026    89.4    35.4   7.0
2012 02 14    16 53 56.1 +51 27 26   1.3874  1.7083    90.4    35.3   7.0
2012 02 15    16 51 01.7 +52 20 47   1.3768  1.7140    91.4    35.2   7.0
2012 02 16    16 47 53.4 +53 14 51   1.3666  1.7197    92.4    35.0   7.0
2012 02 17    16 44 30.0 +54 09 35   1.3567  1.7256    93.4    34.9   7.0
2012 02 18    16 40 50.1 +55 04 54   1.3472  1.7316    94.5    34.7   7.0
2012 02 19    16 36 52.2 +56 00 42   1.3381  1.7376    95.5    34.5   7.0
2012 02 20    16 32 34.6 +56 56 52   1.3294  1.7437    96.5    34.3   7.0
2012 02 21    16 27 55.5 +57 53 16   1.3213  1.7498    97.4    34.1   7.0
2012 02 22    16 22 52.9 +58 49 46   1.3136  1.7561    98.4    33.9   7.0
2012 02 23    16 17 24.6 +59 46 10   1.3064  1.7624    99.4    33.6   7.0
2012 02 24    16 11 28.4 +60 42 17   1.2997  1.7688   100.3    33.4   7.0
2012 02 25    16 05 01.6 +61 37 53   1.2936  1.7753   101.2    33.1   7.1
2012 02 26    15 58 01.6 +62 32 45   1.2880  1.7818   102.1    32.9   7.1
2012 02 27    15 50 25.7 +63 26 36   1.2830  1.7884   103.0    32.6   7.1
2012 02 28    15 42 11.2 +64 19 06   1.2786  1.7951   103.9    32.4   7.1
2012 02 29    15 33 15.1 +65 09 57   1.2749  1.8018   104.7    32.1   7.1

Blobrana · L

Comet C/2009 P1/Garradd passes near to Rho Herculis on the 25th January, 2012.

Blobrana · L

Ephemeris

Date    TT    R. A. (2000) Decl.     Delta      r     Elong.  Phase   Mag
2011 12 31    17 30 10.3 +26 32 23   1.9456  1.5538    52.3    30.1   7.4
2012 01 01    17 30 06.8 +26 50 10   1.9357  1.5548    52.9    30.3   7.4
2012 01 02    17 30 02.7 +27 08 27   1.9255  1.5559    53.5    30.5   7.3
2012 01 03    17 29 57.9 +27 27 13   1.9151  1.5571    54.1    30.8   7.3
2012 01 04    17 29 52.5 +27 46 30   1.9045  1.5584    54.7    31.0   7.3
2012 01 05    17 29 46.3 +28 06 19   1.8936  1.5598    55.3    31.2   7.3
2012 01 06    17 29 39.3 +28 26 40   1.8826  1.5614    55.9    31.5   7.3
2012 01 07    17 29 31.5 +28 47 34   1.8713  1.5631    56.6    31.7   7.3
2012 01 08    17 29 22.7 +29 09 02   1.8598  1.5649    57.3    31.9   7.3
2012 01 09    17 29 13.0 +29 31 05   1.8482  1.5668    58.0    32.1   7.3
2012 01 10    17 29 02.3 +29 53 44   1.8364  1.5689    58.7    32.4   7.3
2012 01 11    17 28 50.5 +30 16 59   1.8243  1.5710    59.4    32.6   7.3
2012 01 12    17 28 37.4 +30 40 52   1.8122  1.5733    60.1    32.8   7.3
2012 01 13    17 28 23.2 +31 05 24   1.7998  1.5757    60.9    33.0   7.3
2012 01 14    17 28 07.6 +31 30 35   1.7873  1.5782    61.6    33.3   7.2
2012 01 15    17 27 50.6 +31 56 28   1.7747  1.5808    62.4    33.5   7.2
2012 01 16    17 27 32.1 +32 23 02   1.7619  1.5835    63.2    33.7   7.2
2012 01 17    17 27 11.9 +32 50 18   1.7490  1.5864    64.0    33.9   7.2
2012 01 18    17 26 50.1 +33 18 19   1.7360  1.5894    64.8    34.1   7.2
2012 01 19    17 26 26.4 +33 47 05   1.7228  1.5924    65.6    34.2   7.2
2012 01 20    17 26 00.7 +34 16 37   1.7096  1.5956    66.4    34.4   7.2
2012 01 21    17 25 33.0 +34 46 56   1.6963  1.5989    67.3    34.6   7.2
2012 01 22    17 25 03.0 +35 18 03   1.6829  1.6023    68.1    34.8   7.2
2012 01 23    17 24 30.6 +35 50 00   1.6695  1.6058    69.0    34.9   7.2
2012 01 24    17 23 55.7 +36 22 47   1.6560  1.6094    69.9    35.1   7.2
2012 01 25    17 23 18.0 +36 56 26   1.6425  1.6132    70.8    35.2   7.2
2012 01 26    17 22 37.4 +37 30 57   1.6289  1.6170    71.7    35.3   7.1
2012 01 27    17 21 53.7 +38 06 22   1.6153  1.6209    72.6    35.4   7.1
2012 01 28    17 21 06.7 +38 42 42   1.6018  1.6250    73.5    35.5   7.1
2012 01 29    17 20 16.1 +39 19 56   1.5882  1.6291    74.5    35.6   7.1
2012 01 30    17 19 21.7 +39 58 07   1.5747  1.6333    75.4    35.7   7.1
2012 01 31    17 18 23.3 +40 37 15   1.5613  1.6377    76.3    35.8   7.1

Google earth file: Comet C/2009 P1 (Garradd).kmz (18kb, kmz)

Blobrana · L

Comet C/2009 P1 (Garradd) is at Perihelion on the 23rd December, 2011. (1.551 AU)

Blobrana · L

Ephemeris

Date    TT    R. A. (2000) Decl.     Delta      r     Elong.  Phase   Mag
2011 10 11    17 54 11.1 +18 59 45   1.8118  1.8463    76.1    31.7   8.0
2011 10 12    17 52 59.2 +18 57 48   1.8229  1.8391    75.1    31.6   7.9
2011 10 13    17 51 50.0 +18 55 57   1.8339  1.8320    74.1    31.6   7.9
2011 10 14    17 50 43.5 +18 54 13   1.8448  1.8250    73.1    31.5   7.9
2011 10 15    17 49 39.6 +18 52 35   1.8556  1.8181    72.2    31.5   7.9
2011 10 16    17 48 38.2 +18 51 03   1.8663  1.8112    71.2    31.4   7.9
2011 10 17    17 47 39.2 +18 49 39   1.8768  1.8043    70.3    31.3   7.9
2011 10 18    17 46 42.7 +18 48 22   1.8871  1.7976    69.4    31.3   7.9
2011 10 19    17 45 48.4 +18 47 12   1.8973  1.7909    68.5    31.2   7.9
2011 10 20    17 44 56.4 +18 46 10   1.9074  1.7843    67.6    31.1   7.9
2011 10 21    17 44 06.6 +18 45 17   1.9172  1.7777    66.8    31.0   7.9
2011 10 22    17 43 18.9 +18 44 31   1.9269  1.7712    65.9    30.9   7.9
2011 10 23    17 42 33.2 +18 43 54   1.9365  1.7648    65.1    30.7   7.9
2011 10 24    17 41 49.5 +18 43 26   1.9458  1.7584    64.2    30.6   7.9
2011 10 25    17 41 07.8 +18 43 06   1.9549  1.7522    63.4    30.5   7.9
2011 10 26    17 40 27.9 +18 42 56   1.9639  1.7460    62.6    30.4   7.9
2011 10 27    17 39 49.9 +18 42 55   1.9726  1.7398    61.8    30.2   7.9
2011 10 28    17 39 13.6 +18 43 03   1.9811  1.7338    61.0    30.1   7.9
2011 10 29    17 38 39.0 +18 43 22   1.9894  1.7278    60.3    30.0   7.9
2011 10 30    17 38 06.0 +18 43 50   1.9975  1.7219    59.5    29.8   7.9
2011 10 31    17 37 34.6 +18 44 28   2.0053  1.7161    58.8    29.7   7.9
2011 11 01    17 37 04.7 +18 45 16   2.0129  1.7104    58.1    29.5   7.9
2011 11 02    17 36 36.4 +18 46 14   2.0203  1.7047    57.4    29.4   7.8
2011 11 03    17 36 09.4 +18 47 23   2.0274  1.6992    56.7    29.2   7.8
2011 11 04    17 35 43.8 +18 48 43   2.0343  1.6937    56.1    29.1   7.8
2011 11 05    17 35 19.5 +18 50 13   2.0409  1.6883    55.4    28.9   7.8
2011 11 06    17 34 56.6 +18 51 53   2.0472  1.6830    54.8    28.8   7.8
2011 11 07    17 34 34.8 +18 53 45   2.0533  1.6778    54.2    28.6   7.8
2011 11 08    17 34 14.3 +18 55 48   2.0592  1.6726    53.6    28.5   7.8
2011 11 09    17 33 54.9 +18 58 02   2.0647  1.6676    53.0    28.3   7.8
2011 11 10    17 33 36.6 +19 00 26   2.0700  1.6627    52.4    28.2   7.8
2011 11 11    17 33 19.3 +19 03 03   2.0751  1.6578    51.9    28.0   7.8
2011 11 12    17 33 03.2 +19 05 51   2.0798  1.6530    51.3    27.9   7.8

Google earth file: Comet C2009 P1 (Garradd).kmz (Version 2, 18kb, kmz)

Blobrana · L

Comet Garradd C/2009 P1 passes near M71 Globular Cluster 3-hour Time-lapse

This is a time-lapse video of Comet Garradd C/2009 P1 passing near the Globular Cluster M71 on August 26, 2011. 33 five-minute frames taken with a 6" Astro-Tech RC telescope and Modified Canon 450D DSLR camera were used for the video. The time lapse covers a three hour period from 9:00pm to 12:08am.

Blobrana · L

On the 2 - 3rd of September, the magnitude 7.8, comet C/2009 P1 (Garradd) will pass close to Brocchi's Cluster (the Coathanger) in the constellation Cygnus.