Comet C/2007 N3 (Lulin)

Click here for a higher resolution image of this comet (462 Kb)

Click here for a full resolution image of the comet nucleus (308 Kb)

Click here for a different processing approach (star trailing) to the comet (583 Kb)

Click here for yet a different processing approach (comet trailing) to the comet - Low Resolution (339 Kb)

Click here for yet a different processing approach (comet trailing) to the comet - Full Resolution cropped (299 Kb)

The Details
Object	Comet C/2007 N3 Lulin
Optics	Takahashi FSQ-106
Platform	Astro-Physics 1200 GTO
Camera	SBIG STL=11000M
Filters	Tru-Balance Luminance filter
Date	23 February 2009
Location	Mount Wilson Observatory - Mount Wilson, CA
Exposure	L 20 x 60 sec, 1x1 bin with 120 second delay between frames; unguided
Software	Maxim DL/CCD, CCDStack, Photoshop CS 4
Orientation	Field of View: 03°49' x 02°34' centered on RA 11h18m33s DEC +04°42’35” (2000.0) . North angle 44.1°; east 90° CCW from north Nucleus of comet at RA 11h16m06s DEC +04°47'34" (2000.0)
Notes	Comet C/2007 N3 (Lulin) was discovered in July 2007 by Asian astronomers Quanzhi Ye (China) and Chi-Sheng Lin (Taiwan). At the time the above image was taken the comet was very near its closest approach to Earth at a distance of 0.41 AU or 38,250,000 miles. Its estimated magnitude was 6.0, making it too dim to view naked eye from Mount Wilson, however with a pair of low power binoculars it was easily seen. The above image is a composite based on the acquisition techniques and processing procedures outlined by Austrian amateur astronomer Bernard Hubl for dealing with fast moving comets. This comet had a high proper motion of about 0.2"/second in RA, which translates into a cumulative displacement of nearly 14.5 arc-minutes, or half the apparent diameter of a Full Moon, during the data acquisition period of 4150 seconds (Start of frame 1 to end of Frame 20 including delay and download times).