22P/Kopff, C/2006 W3 (Christensen), and C/2009 P2 (Boattini)
The following are the observations made at Geisei. 22P/Kopff
is still bright enough for visual observation and shows a short faint tail.
C/2006 W3 (Christensen) has become a little fainter, but
is visible at a favorable position near the zenith in the evening.
C/2009 P2 (Boattini) is considerably faint and I made a 41-minute
exposure using slow-speed 2415 Technical Pan. ISO 400 films will not show
the comet because of reciprocity failure. With little time left before
moonlight becoming too bright, I had to give up taking another shot, which
I would normally do.@I enjoy taking long-exposure photographs, while viewing
the universe and letting my mind wondering around.
It was in September, too, when I photographed Halley's Comet
in 1984. In those days, I used 103a-O photographic plates with exposures
of as long as 37 minutes. I used to hear a lively chorus of chirping insects,
but no more, probably because much of the grass area has been cleared.
A woman from Takamatsu city who visited the observatory sent
me a poem written on "shikishi" color paper:
In the midst of a chorus of singing insects, I enjoyed the
reunion with my dear stars.
0022P 2009 08 30.67257 22 47 37.91 -14 23 48.4 14.2 N 372
CK06W030 2009 08 29.52326 19 53 24.18 +15 09 00.3 10.1 T 372
CK06W030 2009 08 30.65938 19 51 25.15 +14 34 24.6 10.0 T 372
CK09P020 2009 08 30.69215 23 42 12.28 +16 36 39.4 19.0 N 372