BACK

73P/ Schwassmann Wachmann 3 fragment C on May 3rd 2006 at 01.07 LT through the 8.5" F/7 reflector. Comet was faintly visible to the naked eye at mag 6 with a dust tail 30' long. Faint streamers could be seen shooting from the coma downwind into the tail. This short period comet caused a sensation as it broke into over 100 fragments as it passed near the Earth. The most spectacular comet breakup since SL9 in 1994.