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Reports from Geisei Observatory <March 20, 2010>


A photograph of C/2007 Q3 (Siding Spring) with the nucleus breaking up

    C/2007 Q3 (Siding Spring) has been bright enough to be observed visually until recently, but it seems to have broken up into two fragments (Components A and B). It was photographed by Geisei's 70cm reflector. Component B split from the main nucleus has rapidly deteriorated and disappeared into the tail. Compare the brightness of Components A and B in the observations below:



C/2007 Q3 (Siding Spring)
12-minute exposure from 0:38, March 18, 2010 J.S.T.
70cm reflector f/7 TM400 film
Copyright (C) 2010, T. Seki, Geisei Observatory




    CK07Q03a   2010 03 17.65573 15 22 54.71 +56 24 37.4          14.5 N      372
    CK07Q03b   2010 03 17.65573 15 22 54.14 +56 24 34.4          14.7 N      372

    CK07Q03a   2010 03 17.66146 15 22 54.73 +56 24 42.8          14.5 N      372

    CK07Q03a   2010 03 19.71528 15 23 15.90 +57 01 59.8          14.7 N      372
    CK07Q03b   2010 03 19.71528 15 23 15.34 +57 01 58.3          16.9 N      372

    CK07Q03a   2010 03 19.72431 15 23 15.94 +57 02 09.2          14.5 N      372
    CK07Q03b   2010 03 19.72431 15 23 15.24 +57 02 06.6          16.7 N      372

Copyright (C) 2010 Tsutomu Seki.