Visual Comet Observing

Presenter(s): Chris Wyatt

Affiliation(s): University of New England & Northern Tablelands Astronomical Society

Session details: Saturday, 2014-04-19 05:30:00, New York

Abstract

The talk will include various comet observing techniques, observation reduction and submission, setting a platform to help newcomers start observing comets and be part of a national and worldwide collaboration by contributing to Comet Science in the best way that amateurs know how.

Biography

I began my interest in Comets way back in 1986 as a 7 y.o. living in Western Sydney. Totally blown away by my introduction to the Milky Way and this famous comet the event kick started my interest in Astronomy. I read books to help teach myself about Astronomy and joined the Western Sydney Amateur Astronomy Group. In 2002 I moved to Walcha on the Northern Tablelands of NSW where I enjoyed dark rural skies and my interest in Comets rekindled. I got sick of taking photo’s and wanted to contribute to Astronomy Science. I attended NACAA in 2008 and became so enlightened by what amateurs could achieve. The same year my self-appointed visual comet observing program took off with the help of the ASV Comet Section members. I gradually built up my observing experiences and am at a stage where I want to help other observers get acquainted with comet observing, to help contribute to Comet Science on a Pro-Am level made achievable by using the basic method of observing, encountering many challenges along the way and being exposed to some of the wonderful and amazing sights nature has to offer under the best skies one could wish for.