SUNSET: 
1
Photographer:
Mike Olason
Location of Photo:
Denver Colorado
Date/Time of photo:
2 June 2017, 0913UT
Equipment:
11" SCT f/6.4 and STF-8300M CCD Camera
Description:
The winds were calm for this collection of images unlike the very windy night of the previous collection of images on 24 May 2017. The latest orbital data shows the comet is 1.5 Billion miles from Earth and magnitude 18.8 in this image. The comet is moving only 9"/Hour across Earth's night sky, thus there is very little star movement in this image. The comet will only brighten to about magnitude 14 over the next 5 years and then it will brighten to about magnitude 5 in June/July 2023 when it unfortunately is still 108 Million miles from Earth at it's close approach to Earth. It reaches perihelion in October 2023 when it is still expected to be about magnitude 5 in Earth's night sky. Of course, it is a comet that is still 6 years away and we know very little about it except that comets are very unpredictable.
Comments
Mike OlasonPost Author
June 6, 2017 at 11:36 pm
Of course, just after this image and data are submitted a new Orbital Update is issued. The new update now has the comet reaching perihelion in April 2023 and it's close approach to Earth at the same time of about 165 Million miles with an expected magnitude still about 5. We still have 6 more years of updates and magnitude debates, enjoy.
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