True color image obtained on 2015 Feb. 20 (19h37-19h43UT) with 60-cm, f/3.3 telescope and LBVR filters. Exposure time was 60s in each filter. Copyright © 2015 by H. Mikuz, Crni Vrh Observatory.
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 are 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.
Light-curve of Comet C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) (Mar 02, 2015).
Recent observations
Type Comet name Obs date Mag Dia DC Tail Observer
V 2014Q2 2015 03 02.86 5.7 8 3 0.67 55 HAR11
V 2014Q2 2015 03 02.85 5.6 9 4 0.5 60 MEY
V 2014Q2 2015 03 01.88 5.6 8 3 1.0 48 HAR11
V 2014Q2 2015 03 01.77 5.5 8 4/ 0.3 55 MEY
V 88 2015 03 01.33 10.5 2.5 4 GOI
V 2014Q2 2015 03 01.09 5.6 7 2/ AGUag
V 2014Q2 2015 02 28.78 5.6 8 4 0.85 54 HAR11
V 2014Q2 2015 02 28.77 5.5 8 4/ 0.3 65 MEY
V 2013C2 2015 02 27.19 14.0: 0.25 7/ GOI
V 2014Q2 2015 02 27.09 5.6 & 7 3/ AGUag
C 29 2015 02 26.72 13.1 0.3 DYMaa
C 2013UQ4 2015 02 26.72 17.9 0.2 HILaa
V 2014Q2 2015 02 26.10 5.5 & 7 3/ AGUag
V 2014Q2 2015 02 25.86 5.9 HOLab
C 32 2015 02 25.55 13.4 0.3 HILaa
Comet Observing Planner
Current comet magnitudes (March 3)
Comet Magnitude Trend Observable When visible Lovejoy (2014 Q2) 5.5 fade 80 N to 5 S all night 88P/Howell 10.5 bright 30 N to 65 S morning SWAN (2015 C2) 11.5 steady Poor elongation Catalina (2013 US10) 11.5 bright Conjunction 15P/Finlay 12 fade 80 N to 25 S evening Siding Spring (2013 A1) 12 steady 80 N to 25 S morning PanSTARRS (2012 K1) 12.5 fade Poor elongation Borisov (2014 R1) 13 fade 45 N to 60 S morning Oukaimeden (2013 V5) 13 fade 70 N to 45 S morning 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 13 ? varies 25 N to 70 S morning PanSTARRS (2012 F3) 13.5 ? steady 30 N to 50 S morning 32P/Comas Sola 14 fade 70 N to 30 S best morning PanSTARRS (2014 Q1) 14 ? bright Conjunction
List of comets maintained by Jonathan Shanklin at http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~jds.
Latest news
Sideways – CometWatch 26 February
This four-image mosaic comprises images taken from a distance of 94.3 km from the centre of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on 26 February. The image resolution is 8.0 m/pixel and the individual 1024 x 1024 frames measure 8.2 km across. The mosaic measures 14.6 × 14.7 km.
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SOHO sees something new near the sun: Comet survives close encounter
An unusual comet skimmed past the sun on Feb 18-21, 2015, as captured by the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, or SOHO.
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CometWatch: The challenges of a close flyby
In today’s CometWatch post, we not only present a previously unseen NAVCAM image from the close flyby on 14 February, but we also reflect on some of the challenges encountered in operating in this new environment.
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CometWatch 20 February
Today’s CometWatch entry is a single frame NAVCAM image obtained on 20 February from a distance of 118.5 km from the centre of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The image has a resolution of 10.1 m/pixel and measures 10.3 km across.
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CometWatch 14 February – flyby special
On Saturday, Rosetta passed within just 6 km of the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in the first dedicated close flyby of the mission. The closest approach took place at 12:41 UT over the Imhotep region on the comet’s large lobe.
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