BACK

Comet 73P/ Schwassmann Wachmann 3 fragment B on May 16th 2006 at 03.05 LT as seen through the 10X50 binoculars. At the time of the sketch the comet was faintly visible with the naked eye located in the NE pre dawn sky within Pegasus north of the naked eye star 'Enif' and globular cluster M15. The comets rapid motion was striking and could be seen in near real time as it passed by stars within the FOV. The coma was a strange diamond shape. This comet suffered from 'aperture effect' - a condition that shows a larger and brighter comet with binoculars and the naked eye however a fainter and smaller object is seen in large telescopes.

I had just arrived back from an EAAS meeting and I observed this comet for a long time with a fellow astronomer over the phone who was also observing it from his own location.