Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS)
Taken by Lionel Majzik on December 31, 2024 @
Río Hurtado, Chile
Click photo for larger image
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Camera Used: Unavailable Unavailable
Exposure Time: Unavailable
Aperture: Unavailable
ISO: Unavailable
Date Taken: 2025:01:03 16:36:40
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Details:
Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) was discovered in April 2024 by T. Linder using the 0.5-meter telescope of the ATLAS project in Chile. It has since been revealed to follow a highly elongated, retrograde orbit, originating from the outer regions of the Solar System. On January 13, 2025, the comet will approach the Sun at a distance of just 0.09 AU (approximately 13.5 million km), classifying it as a sungrazing comet. Predictions suggest that if it withstands the intense thermal stress near the Sun, its brightness could reach as much as -4 magnitude. However, its extremely small elongation (just a few degrees from the Sun) will make it particularly challenging to observe, especially from northern latitudes.
On December 31, 2024, just before sunrise, I managed to capture a remote-controlled image of the gradually brightening C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) comet using the T75 instrument of the iTelescope network. At the time, the comet was about 6-7 degrees above the horizon and, with a brightness of roughly 4.9 magnitude, it was almost visible to the naked eye. The image clearly shows a fan-like, prominent dust tail.
If, by some miracle, the comet survives its close encounter with the Sun, it could become visible to the naked eye for observers in the Southern Hemisphere. For those in the Northern Hemisphere, however, its proximity to the Sun and low position near the horizon will pose significant challenges for both amateur and professional observers alike.
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Technical details:
Date: 31 Dec, 2024 08:38-08:41 UT
Location: iTelescope - T75, Río Hurtado, Chile
Total exposure time: 2 minutes
Camera: ZWO ASI 6200 MM Pro
Telescope: ASA N 250/950 mm
Mount: PlaneWave L-500
Focal ratio, length: f/3.8, 950 mm
Filters: Chroma
30 sec L/R/G/B
Processing: Astro Pixel Processor, PixInsight, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom
Photographer's website:
https://www.lionelmajzik.com
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