False color image of comet C/2012 X1 (LINEAR), obtained on 2014 Mar. 12 (3h07-3h12UT) with 60cm Deltagraph. Exposure time was 5x60sec.
Copyright © 2014 H. Mikuz, OCV.
Welcome to COBS!
Between 1989-1997 an intensive comet photometry program at Crni Vrh Observatory resulted in contribution of hundreds of CCD observations to the ICQ database and IAU Circulars. This also created a need for an online observational database. The first version was created in 2002 and was used by Slovenian comet observers. The database contained 35 visually observed comets during the period 2002-2008. The best observed comets, with complete light-curves collected have been C/2002 C1 (Ikeya-Zhang), C/2002 V1 (NEAT), C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) and C/2004 Q2 (Machholz) as well as outburst of comet 17P/Holmes in late 2007.
The Comet Observation Database (COBS) is unique service, offering comet observers to submit, display and analyse comet data in a single location. It is maintained by the Crni Vrh Observatory and is opened to comet observers worldwide. Registered observers may now submit the observations using a simple web-based form which will store their observations into an SQL database and display them in ICQ format. Furthermore the users will be able to create light-curve graphs of selected comets and see all the observations. We encourage comet observers worldwide to submit their observations and contribute to the COBS database.
Observers are reminded that the ultimate address which is collecting and storing comet data is International Comet Quarterly.
Light-curve of Comet C/2014 E2 (Jacques) (Apr 19, 2014).
Recent observations
Type Comet name Obs date Mag Dia DC Tail Observer
V 2014E2 2014 04 19.46 9.6 3 3 CAM03
V 2012K1 2014 04 18.84 10.7: 1.5 6 KARaa
V 2012K1 2014 04 17.86 9.7 2.8 6 BIEaa
V 2014E2 2014 04 17.84 9.8 4.1 4 BIEaa
V 2014E2 2014 04 17.83 9.6: & 4.5 2/ BIEaa
C 2012X2 2014 04 17.54 17.7 0.2 HILaa
V 2014E2 2014 04 16.93 9.2 6 3 GOI
C 117 2014 04 16.83 13.9 0.2 HILaa
C 2012X1 2014 04 16.80 8.4 2 HILaa
C 2012V2 2014 04 16.73 16.6 0.2 HILaa
C 209 2014 04 15.82 16.1 0.24 1.3m 95 PRYab
C 52 2014 04 15.39 15.8 0.2 HILaa
C 2012X1 2014 04 14.82 8.4 2.4 HILaa
C 2014E2 2014 04 14.42 9.7 1.4 HILaa
C 2014AA52 2014 04 14.41 18.1 0.2 HILaa
Comet Observing Planner
Current comet magnitudes (April 16)
Comet Magnitude Trend Observable When visible LINEAR (2012 X1) 8.5 steady 50 N to 80 S early morning Jacques (2014 E2) 9.5 bright 55 N to 85 S evening PanSTARRS (2012 K1) 9.5 bright 65 N to 35 S all night Borisov (2013 V2) 11 ? steady 65 N to 5 N evening Lovejoy (2013 R1) 11 fade 50 N to 75 S morning Siding Spring (2013 A1) 12.5 ? bright 65 S to 70 S early evening 290P/Jager 13 fade 60 N to 40 S evening LINEAR (2012 V2) 13 ? fade 15 S to 85 S best morning 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 13 ? varies 30 N to 85 S best morning LINEAR (2011 J2) 13.5 ? fade 65 N to 60 N early morning LINEAR (2010 S1) 13.5 ? fade 50 N to 55 S early morning LONEOS (2006 S3) 14 fade 50 N to 65 S evening
List of comets maintained by Jonathan Shanklin at http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~jds.
Latest news
Comet 209P/LINEAR & its Meteor Shower
209P/LINEAR is a periodic comet discovered by the Lincoln Laboratory Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) survey on five images taken on 2004, February 3.40 (discovery magnitude ~18.1). Reported by LINEAR as an apparent asteroidal object, it has been found to show a narrow 1'.1 tail in p.a. 274 deg (slightly expanding toward the end) on CCD images obtained by R. H. McNaught with the 1.0-m f/8 reflector at Siding Spring on Mar. 30.8 UT.
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New Comet: C/2014 F1 (HILL)
Cbet nr. 3840, issued on 2014, April 01, announces the discovery of a comet (~ magnitude 18.6) on CCD images taken on 2014, March 29.4 by R. E. Hill with the Catalina Sky Survey's 0.68-m Schmidt telescope. The new comet has been designated C/2014 F1 (HILL).
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Rosetta Sets Sights on Destination Comet
The Rosetta spacecraft has caught a first glimpse of its destination comet since waking up from deep-space hibernation on Jan. 20. The first images of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko were taken on March 20 and 21 by the Optical, Spectroscopic and Infrared Remote Imaging System (OSIRIS) wide-angle camera and narrow-angle camera. Rosetta is an international mission spearheaded by the European Space Agency with support and instruments provided by NASA.
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Hubble Sees Mars-Bound Comet Sprout Multiple Jets
Comet Siding Spring is plunging toward the Sun along a roughly 1-million-year orbit. The comet, discovered in 2013, was within the radius of Jupiter's orbit when the Hubble Space Telescope photographed it on March 11, 2014.
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Hubble Witnesses Asteroid's Mysterious Disintegration
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has recorded the never-before-seen break-up of an asteroid into as many as 10 smaller pieces. Fragile comets, comprised of ice and dust, have been seen falling apart as they approach the sun, but nothing like this has ever before been observed in the asteroid belt.
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