Year: 
1965

Comet Ikeya-Seki rising in the morning sky on 1965 November 4 around 4:30 a.m. (haze is obscuring the comet's head). 10-minute exposure on Tri-X film. Photo by Bill Jenkins. See the source document for an annotated version that identifies various stars in the field.

[text on back of photo]

Hand-guided 10 minute exposure on (*) Tri-X film. Apr. time 4:30 a.m. Nov 4, 1965. (Note haze obscuring comet head)

Wide angle of lens caused stars to arc over comet's tail.

Camera was mounted on 2" refractor and telescope trained on comet's head and guided. (Dawn was less than ½ hour away so sky is lighter than usual)

Head was just visible at horizon till haze obscured it visually, although still visible in telescope.

*(Faster film would have given better results but none was available)

(Hold photo at arm's length for approximate visual view)

Comet Ikeya-Seki - Nov 1965         W O Jenkins

This photo is from the RASC Comet and Nova Section Archive. Processing (including noise reduction) by WM.

[View Source Document]

(See also: Roy Bishop's observation made just one day earlier—Nova Notes, 2022 Jan/Feb, p.8—WM)

Comet Ikeya-Seki