Comet Hyakutake

Processing Data:	Object Info:
Negatives - September 1996	Observed with the unaided eye from early Mar. until early June, T=1996 May 1. One of the grandest comets of the millennium! Encountered the Earth under very likely the most favorable circumstances of any major comet since P/Halley in 837AD! Initially a morning object situated far from the twilight regions in Libra and moving almost due northward. By March 12th, 4th magnitude with several degrees of tail. March 19th, 2nd magnitude. March 22-24, visible directly overhead in Bootes before dawn from mid-northern latitudes as an object of zero to 1st magnitude displaying a 30-50 degree tail. On March 27th visible all night long with a head of zero magnitude up to 2 degrees in diameter. Comet then situated immediately adjacent to the Pole Star and trailing an immense tail at least 70 degrees in length (some reports indicate up to 100 degrees!). In early April observable in the northwestern evening sky, rapidly descended toward the twilight region, magnitude 2 or 3. Following solar conjunction, visible briefly in May from the Southern Hemisphere as a small, faint, naked eye object with a short tail.
90mm Refractor F/11
Motor Mount - Unguided
Pentax K1000 Body
Fugi Super G Plus 400, Unhypered
1 x 5 Minute Exposure
Digital Enhanced (levels) in Photoshop

Object Details Courtesy "The Bright Comet Chronicles" John E. Bortle, W.R. Brooks Observatory.