Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS)

Tracking Comets with Origin

October 2024 saw Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) blaze in our western skies as the sun set over the Minas Basin of the Bay of Fundy here in Nova Scotia, Canada (45°N). The predicted track is shown in the two references. By the 29th, when I captured this image with Origin, it was located in the constellation Ophiuchus. I centred the image on the 9th-magnitude star BD+03 3504 in order to get most of the tail in the field of view, and to be able to identify all of the backdrop stars and galaxies. In the next section 47 objects are identified: 6 of the brightest stars, 6 long-period variables, 6 spectroscopic binaries, 19 eclipsing binaries, 3 pulsating variables, 2 RR Lyrae variables, 1 unspecified variable, and 4 galaxies.

References

1. "Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS soars at dusk", Bob King, Sky & Telescope, Vol. 148(4), October 2024, p. 48.

2. "Comet Search: Comet of the Year", Astronomy, Vol. 52(10), October 2024, p. 34.

Objects in the 1.27° x 0.85° FOV

Bright Stars (< V 10)

BD+03 3492, V 8.94, G

BD+03 3504, V 9.66, F5

HD 161941, V 6.225, B9A0III

HD 162302, V 8.15, A9V

HD 162322, V 8.96, G6V

HD 162367, V 8.7, K1III

Variable Stars (Included in AAVSO)

V561 Oph, Long-period variable, V 9.77 (0.42), M5 (AAVSO V 9.8, Aug. 2011)

V2329 Oph, Eclipsing binary, R 16.1-17.5 (AAVSO, No observations)

V3122 Oph, Eclipsing binary, R 14.75-15.3, P 548711 days, (AAVSO, No observations)

Other Variable and Binary Stars

GAIA 1* = GAIA DR3 4472408269198353280, Long-period variable

GAIA 2* = GAIA DR3 4472402909077706880, Spectroscopic binary, V 13.204

GAIA 3* = GAIA DR3 4472502728416642432, Spectroscopic binary, V 13.147

GAIA 4* = GAIA DR3 4472516678470627968, Spectroscopic binary, V 13.229

GAIA 5* = GAIA DR3 4472521587616763392, Eclipsing binary

GAIA 6* = GAIA DR3 4472555019639874816, Long-period variable candidate

GAIA 7* = GAIA DR3 4472555328878613760, Eclipsing binary, V 15.995

GAIA 8* = GAIA DR3 4472552859275545216, Eclipsing binary

GAIA 9* = GAIA DR3 4472552137721033600, Eclipsing binary

GAIA 10* = GAIA DR3 4472511352711170176, Eclipsing binary

GAIA 11* = GAIA DR3 4472509974022887552, Spectroscopic binary, V 11.932

GAIA 12* = GAIA DR3 4472315291747291904, Variable star, V 14.317

GAIA 13* = GAIA DR3 4472293649410130688, Eclipsing binary, V 15.401

GAIA 14* = GAIA DR3 4472303510654813440, Eclipsing binary

GAIA 15* = GAIA DR3 4472210361405133952, Eclipsing binary

GAIA 16* = GAIA DR3 4472290282155522816, Eclipsing binary

GAIA 17* = GAIA DR3 4472289590663010176, Pulsating variable, V 10.52

GAIA 18* = GAIA DR3 4472294542764622464, Eclipsing binary

GAIA 19* = GAIA DR3 4472241079010364672, RR Lyrae variable

GAIA 20* = GAIA DR3 4472300864956546048, Spectroscopic binary, V 13.163

GAIA 21* = GAIA DR3 4472297360262467840, Eclipsing binary

GAIA 22* = GAIA DR3 4472235027396046848, Eclipsing binary, V 11.53

GAIA 23* = GAIA DR3 4472221597038644736, Spectroscopic binary, V 12.39

GAIA 24* = GAIA DR3 4472237643036316672, Eclipsing binary

GAIA 25* = GAIA DR3 4472222181154174592, Eclipsing binary

GAIA 26* = GAIA DR3 4472228739563924608, Long-period variable

GAIA 27* = GAIA DR3 4472241658825548800, Long-period variable

GAIA 28* = GAIA DR3 4472281378683112960, Pulsating variable, V 11.92

GAIA 29* = GAIA DR3 4472334228261857920, RR Lyrae variable

GAIA 30* = GAIA DR3 4472335396493063296, Eclipsing binary

GAIA 31* = GAIA DR3 4472347319322301440, Eclipsing binary

GAIA 32* = GAIA DR3 4472335568291696640, Long-period variable

GAIA 33* = GAIA DR3 4472340653533057408, Eclipsing binary

GAIA 34* = GAIA DR3 4472345841853752064, Pulsating variable, V 10.71

Galaxies

LEDA 200835

LEDA 200850

LEDA 200913

LEDA 200925

Logbook

Date & Time: October 29, 2024, 7.19 pm

Location: Kempt Shore, Nova Scotia

Conditions: Clear, 3°C

Moon: Waning crescent (6%)

Sunset: 6:07 pm

Technical: Battery operation, direct wifi, 10-sec exposures, 10-min integration, no filter, no post-processing

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS)

Tracking Comets with Origin

References

Objects in the 1.27° x 0.85° FOV

Logbook

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