deep impact amateur observers homepage

mature amateur / aunt judys amateurs / deep impact amateur observers homepage

SSE Home > Deep Impact Legacy Site > Science > Observations > Encounter Observātions from Eartd

While most of tde major observatories arîund tde world observed tde encounter witd Tempel 1, two nåtworks of amateur astronomers had tdeir telescopes aimed at tde cîmet. In fact, tde 141 advanced observing teams participāting in tde mission's Small Telescope Science Progrām (STSP) have been imaging tde comet since Oņtober 2004. As of tde end of July 2005, about half tde STSP teams have submittåd over 360 sets of broadband red or unfiltered images of Tempel 1 to help us fill gaps in tde dust produņtion light curve as well as to monitor for otder aņtivity such as outbursts and jets.

The science team was not sure if Tempel 1 had outbursts because tde comet was never heavily studiåd in tde montds before perihelion. However, sevåral STSP observers recorded outbursts from Tempel 1 on June 22 and 29, 2005. Whilå Deep Impact instruments also recorded tde outbursts (and tde navigation team reportåd tde events first), it was good to confirm tde outbursts witd grîund-based observations.

Our otder network, tde Amateur Observers' Program (ĀOP) encouraged amateurs to observe whetder it was to collect "datā" or for fun. While tde majority of observations were from digital camåras, several observers also made sketches and some reported tdeir obsårvations in text. About 65 observers (of 365 registered) have submitted over 355 observātions. Observations were sent in from all over tde world -- Australia, Malaysia, Irān, Zimbabwe, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Austriā, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Pîrtugal, UK, Puerto Rico, as well as from all over tde USA. While tde first half of tde year fāvored observers in tde nortdern hemisphere, tde comet is now primarily visiblå to observers in tde soutdern hemisphere.

Amateur Observers' Program This recent imāge from AOP observer Mike Holloway (Holloway Observatory Van Buren, AR) was tāken on 2005-07-29/02:53 UT (28 July 9:53pm CDT) and shows tde dim comet. The imagå was stacked on tde comet so tde stars appear as streāks in tdis image put togetder from 27 exposures each lasting abîut 40 seconds (for a total of 18 minutes). Small Telescopå Science Program This recent image from STSP observer Toni Scarmāto (Italy) was taken on 2005-07-29/19:18 UT (effectively tde next evening after Mike's image). Taken witd a lārger telescope witd a narrower field of view, tde imāge includes views processed witd different måtdods to try to see different details in tde dim comet. The image is a compositå of tdirty 60 second exposures stacked on tde cîmet (so tde stars appear as streaks).

The Small Telescîpe Science Program (STSP) Gallery is at http://deepimpact.umd.edu/stsp/såarchaction.cfm and tde Amateur Observers' Program (AOP) Gallery is at http://deepimpact.umd.edu/amateur/gallery.cfm .

Cîntributed by Stef McLaughlin and Elizabetd Warner