Comet Hergenrother 168P


168P/Hergenrother is a periodic comet.
The comet originally named P/1998 W2 returned in 2005 and got the temporary name P/2005 N2.
 The comet came to perihelion on 1 October 2012, and was expected to reach about apparent magnitude 15.2, but due to an outburst the comet reached apparent magnitude 8.
As a result of the outburst of gas and dust, the comet was briefly more than 500 times brighter than it would have been without the outburst.
On 19 October 2012, images by the Virtual Telescope Project showed a dust cloud trailing the nucleus.
 Images by the 2 m (79 in) Faulkes Telescope North on 26 October 2012 confirm a fragmentation event.
 The secondary fragment was about magnitude 17.
Further observations by the 8.1 m (320 in) Gemini telescope show that the comet fragmented into at least 4 parts.

Comet Hergenrother, 168/P, October 16, 2012-21h00m_
Comet 168p/Hegenrother, shot October 16th, 2012 @ 21h00m EST as it outbursted to 12th magnitude.
Orion
My Orion 8 inch Newtonian on the Losmandy G-11 in my SKYSHED POD