Re: Nancy and DejaNews

Article: <[email protected]>
From: [email protected](Nancy)
Subject: Re: Nancy and DejaNews
Date: 9 Apr 1997 15:10:04 GMT

In article: <[email protected]> Laszlo Herczeg writes:
>> Of course the 1995 nova isn't there anymore! Most novas
>> fade in weeks!
>> [email protected]
>
> They fade from their peak brightness in weeks, but remain
> visible through telescopes for a longer time. The larger the
> telescope, the longer the nova can be detected. .. A Damn
> was JPL luckly that a bright comet showed up. One problem,
> how come this VERY BRIGHT COMET was not spotted by
> some-one else???
> [email protected] (CONPUTE)

1. when it was a nova it was reported to be a comet that was barely moving. Below are the RA and Dec reported AT THAT TIME. As the Zetas said, the outer periphery of a nova given an increasing area in which to make orbit points. Note that the RA and Dec during August-September 1995 show only an arc minute or two difference.
2. The comet you're looking at NOW was not visible to amateurs in 1995. Most comets are discovered 7 months prior to perihelion, and are discovered because they are outgassing upon approach to the Sun. They DON'T get discovered earlier as they are dark! NEAT and Hubble can track dark objects, amateurs cannot.

........
Sky & Telescope
COMET HALE-BOPP
September 15, 1995

Here are positions for 0 hours Universal Time in equinox 2000 coordinates:

RA (2000) Decl. Date (UT)
18h 18m -30.0 deg for September 16
18h 17m -29.9 deg for September 18
18h 17m -29.8 deg for September 20

NASA
http://encke.jpl.nasa.gov/
Recent News and Observations
14 Aug 1995

1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) Positions
Until then, here are predicted positions from IAU Circular 6191 (July 26, 1995):

RA (2000) Decl. Date (UT)
18 41.42 -32 04.5 for 1995 July 27
18 38.00 -31 55.4 for 1995 Aug 1
18 34.76 -31 45.3 for 1995 Aug 6