Observing
Comets with SkyTools Visual
SkyTools
offers many unique features for observing comets not found in
any other software. Comet observing is finally made easy
because you will know what to expect in your telescope with your
local conditions.
Exclusive
features not found in other software
-
Accurate
Visual
difficulty estimates from our legendary contrast model
-
Custom
observing synopses
-
Unique
daily optimum viewing time charts
-
Magnitudes
derived from recent observations
-
Coma diameters
and tail lenghts derived from recent observations
Finding
comets
Using
the multi-view telescope (or binocular) finder charts, even
beginners can easily find naked-eye, telescopic, or binocular
comets. These simulations display what you’ll see through your
eyepiece, adjusted for your location, instrument, light
pollution, and experience. Click the thumbnail for a plot of
comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) as seen to
the unaided eye. The comet is plotted nightly at optimal
viewing. Each night shown is a night when it will be easily
visible to the unaided eye in October. From SkyTools, simply
export your own chart to your phone as an image, or print it
out, and observe at the indicated time each night.
Time
wasted on fickle comets
SkyTools
stays current, unlike other software and apps that require you
to jump through hoops to load what you hope is the latest comet
data, often showing bright comets long after they’ve
disintegrated. Other software and websites rely on outdated Minor Planet Center data for magnitudes, while SkyTools integrates recent observations made by amateur astronomers to
also provide accurate sizes and brightness in its online database, which is updated automatically.
People say comets are fickle, and they are up to a point, but at
Skyhound we have shown again and again that it is primarily the simplistic
predictions made elsewhere that are fickle. Our predictions use a cutting-edge
model that even NASA doesn't have access to.
Is
that comet visible in my telescope?
Big
diffuse comets are harder to detect than small compact ones,
even with an accurate magnitude. SkyTools’ contrast algorithm
removes the guesswork, predicting visibility under your specific
conditions and showing the comet’s size for easier
identification in the eyepiece.
When
and where should I look?
SkyTools
excels at planning. Find the best nights to observe, ideal
times, and create custom finder charts, or control your scope
directly. This isn’t a generic calculation—SkyTools factors
in your light pollution, telescope, and the comet’s coma size
and concentration for accurate predictions.
Custom
observing synopses
SkyTools
can tell you, in words, everything you need to
know about an upcoming comet:
On
October 12, C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) is best visible to
the unaided eye between 07:15p and 07:39p, with the optimum view at 07:29p. Look for it in Virgo, very low in the western sky during evening twilight. It is easy visually to the Naked Eye. It is magnitude 0 with a diameter of 7.3 arc minutes.
In the following 30 days this object is easy visually on October 13-18, and again from October 20, with the best view coming on October 13. During this period it will fade rapidly and will reach peak altitude of 36° on November 6.
C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) is past perihelion, which occurred in late September 2024. On September 27 this comet will pass within 0.5 AU of the earth.
Note:
the above predictions are customized for a specific
location.
Logging
your observations
SkyTools’
logbook is perfect for recording your observations of
comets or anything else in the sky. Use
the Night Log to capture the entire experience, like
when raccoons almost made you drop your Nagler!
SkyTools
Visual is for Windows and starts at $99 USD.

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