COMET SWAN C/2020 F8 is THE comet of this year!!! With an observed magnitude of 5.2 at the time of writing (03-05-2020), it is visible with the naked eye if you have access to dark skies. In this blog I mention the location and trajectory of comet SWAN, so you can try to spot and photograph it from the northern or southern hemisphere.
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE – visible during the first and second week of may
From the southern hemisphere, the comet will be visible during the first and second week of may. The comet is currently located high up in the constellation CETUS. The comet will rise in the east at 4am and will steadily rise in the eastern sky until sunrise. In the above video I have modelled the steady rise of comet SWAN during the night until dawn as can be detected from -35° latitude (Sydney, Adelaide, Buenos Aires). Note that if you are a little bit to the north (e.g. Indonesia, Philippines) the pattern will be very similar. The video also shows the position of the comet across two weeks, as it moves closer towards the horizon until it will no longer be visible.
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE – visible during the final week of may
As for the northern hemisphere, we have to be patient and pray that this comet will actually survive the solar winds for a few weeks. If the comet survives (and that’s a big IF!!!) it will be visible during the final week of may and early june. Just after sunset, look towards the north-west in the constellation PERSEUS. The comet will steadily decrease in altitude and “move” towards the north/north-east during the night. So importantly, you must have an unobstructed view towards the north as comet SWAN will be very close to the horizon. The above video shows you where to look in the night sky, as well as how the comet will change in its position across days in the final week of may. The video is based on my latitude (+52°). Famous cities around that latitude include Amsterdam, London and Quebec.
Should I be worried?
Please note that Comet SWAN C/2020 F8 poses no threat to earth in any way. Its closest approach will be 85 million kilometers from earth 13-05-2020. What is often misunderstood is that these comets have 3D trajectories that are almost always very different from the (same) plane on which the planets orbit our sun. In the final part of the above video, you can check out the trajectory of this comet.
What is a comet?
A comet is an icy, solar system body that warms and begins to release gases when it approaches our sun. This process is called outgassing and often produces a visible ‘coma’, and sometimes also a tail around the comet. This is caused by the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind acting upon the nucleus (the core) of the comet. Comets range from a few hundred meters to tens of kilometers across and are composed of loose collections of ice, dust, and small rocky particles. The coma may be up to 15 times Earth’s diameter, while the tail may stretch one astronomical unit. If sufficiently bright, a comet may be seen from Earth without the aid of a telescope and may subtend an arc of 30° (60 Moons) across the sky. Comets have been observed and recorded since ancient times by many cultures.
How can I photograph comet SWAN C/2020 F8?
If it is visible with the naked eye, you can image it using a regular DSLR camera – or perhaps even with your smartphone! A DSLR camera on a static tripod is preferred though, as this allows you to take a longer exposure picture. What I would recommend is:
- Put your camera on a tripod.
- Point the camera at the location of the comet.
- Focus your camera on the stars – it should be set close to infinity. Make sure your camera is correctly focussed by zooming in on the comet and the stars after taking your first picture. Check if the stars are pinpoint (you should see white pinpoint dots as stars).
- Select a low f/ratio. Most regular DSLR’S have about f/3.5 as their lowest f-ratio, but if you can go lower.
- Select an ISO setting of about 800/1600, don’t go too high as it will result in a grainy picture.
- Manually set your shutter time, for instance to about 5 to 10 seconds. You can experiment a bit. When you see star trails or elongated stars, you should decrease your exposure time.
- Use the automatic countdown of your camera to take a picture, so you don’t have to press the shutter yourself. Manually pressing the shutter causes the camera to move which results in elongated stars.
Can I make timelapse video of the comet?
Yes. This would be my advise. Take 300 pictures of about 5 to 10 seconds each – using the above described method. Put the pictures in the correct order using (free) software such as windows movie maker – or similar software. Limit the playtime for each of the pictures to about 0.04 seconds, and export it as a movie. You’ll end up with a 15 second timelapse where you can see the comet (and the stars) move.
Can I image the comet with my telescope?
Yes, awesome. Please check out my blog in which I explain what kind of software you can use to capture a comet with a telescope and camera here. It takes some effort but the results are worth it. Check out one of my recent timelapse videos of comet ATLAS C/2019 Y1 here.
Clear skies and happy comet hunting!