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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2127      2005 Jly 04 18.36UT
Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise,  Basingstoke,
Hants, RG22 4PP,England.Telephone/FAX(01256)471074Int:+441256471074
INTERNET: GUY@TAHQ.DEMON.CO.UK             GMH at AST.STAR.RL.AC.UK
WORLD WIDE WEB                         http://www.theastronomer.org
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COMET 9P/TEMPEL
Despite the successful impact with Comet 9P/Tempel 1 and the initial 
increase in brightness, this effect appears to have only be temporary.

A message was received from Tony Ward in Australia at 12.15UT as 
follows:

"Have been hampered by heavy cloud but have early views of Tempel 1 
after impact in quite poor sky. The central condensation is very much 
more pronounced than on 2005 July 2, but the overall magnitude of the 
comet is very much the same (11.5 using Sidgwick method). There are very 
close comparison stars of 11.25 and 11.7 mag, and the comet clearly lies 
between them in brightness. The telescope used is a 0.36-m 
Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope at f6.3, using a 22mm
Panoptic eyepiece. Time of observations 2005 July 4: 10.35UT and 11.56UT 
- no discernable difference in brightness - both 11.5.
Overall there is no sign so far of any overall increase in brightness, 
apart from the central condensation."

Subsequently contact was made with Rob McNaught at the Anglo-Australian 
Observatory who relayed that Eric Christensen, who is on the Uppsala 
'tonight', reports that the total magnitude measured from the pipeline 
software (crude mag) was much the same as last night.

Rob also added: "Carl Hergenrother had reported a two magnitude increase 
in a 2" aperture after the impact, but I understand the condensation 
faded again.  It was certainly more obvious than last night here (imaged 
2 hours after the impact tonight), but there was no structure in 
condensation or coma."

Apologies some subscribers in this group who may also have received a 
message to one of my astronomy student groups in error. Please ignore.

Guy M Hurst