Welcome to my southern comets web site.

Here you will find images, photos and finder charts of past, present and future comets visible from the southern hemisphere, plus other observations of interest.

PLEASE NOTE: an alternative website is being reconstructed at:

http://members.westnet.com.au/mmatti/sc.htm

which includes currently observable comets.

This site will continue to update historical comets only.

Web Page last updated on 23-Jan-2010.

Members of the general public should read these astronomical and comet definitions , essential observing tips , and how to do simple comet photography.

An observing planner for comets visible in 2010 and beyond can be found here
A history of my comet observations can be found here

Eclipse Mongolia 2008


Canon 300D digital camera and 300mm zoom lens cropped. ISO 100.
combined 2x1 second exposures. Unsharp mask processing. Note the intricate detail in the coronal filaments, marking the magnetic field lines of the Sun. You can also see subtle detail on the lunar surface. The Magnitude 4.0 star delta Cancri can be seen to the lower right.


Canon 300D digital camera and 300mm zoom lens cropped. ISO 100.
Exposure times from left to right. 1sec, 1/200, 1/200.
Taken near Bulgan gol in western Mongolia.
 

Unsharp masking to reveal detail in the corona.

Read all about our mongolian eclipse expedition at:

http://members.westnet.com.au/mmatti/mongolia.htm

C/2006 P1 McNaught

The brightest comet to be seen in 42 years, approached to within 0.17 AU of the Sun on Jan 12, 2007, where it achieved a maximum brightness of magnitude -5.5, exceeding Venus in brilliance and observable during the daytime hours. See my photographic record of this spectacular event here

If interested in charts for any comets visible from your location, please e-mail me.

Send comments to Michael Mattiazzo : mmatti [at] yp-connect.net

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