This color image of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) was taken on July 15 from my light polluted backyard in Scottsdale, Arizona. The composite CCD image is the sum of individual exposures through red, green, and blue filters. The comet was streaking through the solar system as it raced toward the sun. Because it was moving so quickly, the background stars are in different positions for each exposure. Thus, the stars appear as separate red, green, and blue spots in the image. This comet was discovered by the Lincoln Laboratory Near Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) project.
This is a composite of five 30 second exposure CCD images for each red, green, and blue filter using an ST-8E and a CFW-8 color filter wheel. The telescope was a Takahashi FS-128 refractor operating at f8. MaxIm DL/CCD was used for image acquisition and processing.
Constellation: Camelopardalis
RA: 04h 54m 29.4s Dec: +62d 29' 44"
July 15, 2000 at 1130 U.T.
Image by Sid Leach
Scottsdale, Arizona