13P/Olbers 2024-May-08 Dan Bartlett

_13P_Olbers_C14SCT_HyperS_asi2600mcP_34x30sec_2024_05_08_210821PDT_JuneLake_California_USA_DEBartlett

Not a pretty... however, here is last night's stacked image of "up and coming" (fingers crossed) comet 13P/ Olbers. When I posted this morning's image of the comet taken on May 7th, I remarked that Olbers had disappointedly changed very little even with the recent increase in solar activity.

Well this data came back surprising, in several ways. First I was about to trash the data, since the stars and sky bubbled (using Blink) due to an excessive use of hot water showers running in the house (yes the water heater vents right above where I was imaging 13P/). Secondly, identical frames at 30 seconds and the sky transparency was only slightly better. But the comet was indeed brighter. Each individual sub showed a tail on the computer monitor.

Using PI and WBBP, I was surprised the program could registered the bubbly mess. Average FWHM on the final stack was 7.4!! With the magic of BlurXterminator, stars were improved and this OVERSTRETCHED image became acceptable IMM, considering.

Lesson learned... even some of the worst cometary data can be saved with the right tools, especially those low to the distorted horizon under transparent skies.

(I've included a Starless version of the overstretched image)

Full Resolution Image:
https://astrob.in/e1w0az/B/

Observational details:
Backyard setup
scope: C14 HyperStar fl728mm D356mm
exposure: 34 x 30 sec
Seeing: 1.5/5
Transparency 8/10
Observer: DEBartlett
Place: June Lake_California USA

Image Info (Processed images):Projection ............... Gnomonic
Projection origin ........ [1452.512170 939.923778] px -> [RA: 5 02 25.664 Dec: +29 35 42.34]
Resolution ............... 2.132 arcsec/px
Rotation ................. -1.578 deg
Reference system ......... ICRS
Observation start time ... 2024-05-09 04:08:22 UTC
Observation end time ..... 2024-05-09 04:08:52 UTC
Geodetic coordinates ..... 119 04 46 W 37 46 51 N 2360 m
Focal distance ........... 727.70 mm
Pixel size ............... 7.52 um
Field of view ............ 1d 43' 12.1" x 1d 6' 47.3"
Image center ............. RA: 5 02 25.664 Dec: +29 35 42.14 ex: -0.049966 px ey: -0.026113 px
Image bounds:
top-left .............. RA: 5 06 19.996 Dec: +30 10 19.78 ex: -1.041524 px ey: -2.417050 px
top-right ............. RA: 4 58 23.201 Dec: +30 07 08.96 ex: +0.147060 px ey: -2.892301 px
bottom-left ........... RA: 5 06 25.399 Dec: +29 03 46.61 ex: -1.576849 px ey: +2.362881 px
bottom-right .......... RA: 4 58 33.731 Dec: +29 00 37.67 ex: +0.057606 px ey: +3.408717 px