[vsnet-chat 1566] Re: discovery of Comet Williams

["Fraser Farrell" <fraserf@dove.net.au>]

G'day Taichi,

Although this story should be told by Peter Williams I don't know if 
he is subscribed to vsnet-chat. I'm sending this message to him in the 
hope of his detailed reply.  Briefly:

- - -
After many days of cloud and heavy rain, Peter finally got a semi-clear 
evening on 1998 August 10 (local time).  Although the Moon was near full 
he decided to observe a few variables with his 30cm telescope.

He had turned his telescope to EK TrA (dwarf nova) when he noticed a fuzzy 
8th magnitude blob nearby; not recorded on VSS RASNZ charts or in his star 
atlas.  Peter soon established that it was moving, and contacted CBAT.
- - -

Because most of the inhabited regions of Australia were under cloud at the 
time (and for days afterwards), local observations were sparse at first. 
When the weather cleared the comet was easily seen in the smallest telescopes, 
passing by Alpha Cen.  I showed it to many members of the public at the time. 
And a few days later the comet was near Omega Cen, making a splendid sight 
in a wide-field telescope!

Bill Bradfield says that he too may have to take up variable star observing 
to find his 18th comet. ;-)  But seriously, the stories of C/1997 O1 and 
C/1998 P1 show that it (sometimes) pays to examine the starfield.  Don't just 
do the estimate and rush off to the next variable.  

We may not see as much sky per night as a dedicated comet hunter - but we 
should know our many little patches of sky very well!

cheers,
Fraser Farrell


(note to Peter - see http://vsnet.assa.org.au/vstars/tz2.htm)

On Mon, 18 Jan 1999 21:31:33 +0900 (JST), you wrote (in part):
> From your page, I learned Comet Williams was discovered during the
> variable star observing, am I correct?  If correct, I think this glorious
> byproduct of variable star observing should be better known by the variable
> star community.  Although the story on the first Tilbrook's comet is now
> widely known, I haven't read other than your page about how vairable
> star observation contributed to the comet discovery on Williams' case.

> Regards,
> Taichi Kato

VSNET Home Page

Return to Daisaku Nogami

---

vsnet-adm@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp