Črni Vrh Observatory

Images of comet C/1996 B2 Hyakutake taken during the period April 14 - 21, 1996

Note, that the colors on CCD images are false and were used in order to enhance the comet tail structure.

Very good weather conditions at this site enabled continuous 8-day monitoring of comet Hyakutake. Mosaic images were taken on eight consecutive evenings (1996 Apr. 14 - 21). Because the comet was close to perihelion, its gas and dust production has been intensified. This is well visible on images that shows dramatic, day to day changes particulary in the comet ion tail appearance.

The Apr. 14 - 21 observations are summarized in the composite images below. Development of comet Hyakutake ion tail may be followed during the eight day period (top to bottom). Choose either false color or white-black version.

(Size 196K)

April 21, 1996

Wide-field mosaic image of comet Hyakutake, taken on 1996 Apr. 21, with the 2.8/180mm lens, CCD and narrow-band H₂O⁺ filter, centered at 620nm (FWHM=10nm). Three consecutive frames were taken between 19:16 and 19:37UT. Each frame was exposed for 3 minutes. The frame field of view is 10.7x1.9 deg.
(Size 265K)

B-W negative of the previous image.
(Size 186K)

Wide-field image of comet Hyakutake dust tail, obtained on 1996 Apr. 21 with the 2.8/180mm lens, CCD and dust continuum filter, centered at 647nm (FWHM=10nm). Exposure time was 2 minutes, starting at 19:12UT. The frame field size is 3.8x2.5 deg.
(Size 162K)

Wide-field image of comet Hyakutake, obtained on 1996 Apr. 21 with the 2.8/35mm lens, ST-6 CCD and V filter. Exposure time was 2 minutes, starting at 19:26UT. The frame field of view is 14x10deg.
(Size 57K)

April 20, 1996

Wide-field mosaic image of comet Hyakutake, taken on 1996 Apr. 20, with the 2.8/180mm lens, CCD and narrow-band H₂O⁺ filter, centered at 620nm (FWHM=10nm). Three consecutive frames were taken between 19:22 and 19:45UT. Each frame was exposed for 5 minutes. The frame field of view is 9.8x1.8 deg.
(Size 245K)

B-W negative of the previous image.
(Size 171K)

Wide-field image of comet Hyakutake dust tail, obtained on 1996 Apr. 20 with the 2.8/180mm lens, CCD and dust continuum filter, centered at 647nm (FWHM=10nm). Exposure time was 3 minutes, starting at 19:15UT. The frame field size is 3.8x2.5 deg.
(Size 145K)

Wide-field image of comet Hyakutake, obtained on 1996 Apr. 20 with the 2.8/35mm lens, ST-6 CCD and V filter. Exposure time was 5 minutes, starting at 19:45UT. The frame field of view is 14x10 deg.
(Size 77K)

April 19, 1996

Wide-field mosaic image of comet Hyakutake, taken on 1996 Apr. 19, with the 2.8/180mm lens, CCD and narrow-band H₂O⁺ filter, centered at 620nm (FWHM=10nm). Three consecutive frames were taken between 19:24 and 19:50UT. Each frame was exposed for 5 minutes. The frame field of view is 9.3x1.5 deg.
(Size 182K)

B-W negative of the previous image.
(Size 125K)

Wide-field image of comet Hyakutake dust tail, obtained on 1996 Apr. 19 with the 2.8/180mm lens, CCD and dust continuum filter, centered at 647nm (FWHM=10nm). Exposure time was 5 minutes, starting at 19:18UT. The frame field size is 3.8x2.5 deg.
(Size 138K)

Wide-field image of comet Hyakutake, obtained on 1996 Apr. 19 with the 2.8/35mm lens, ST-6 CCD and V filter. Exposure time was 5 minutes, starting at 19:42UT. The frame field of view is 14x10 deg.
(Size 69K)

April 18, 1996

Some thin clouds were present over the NW horizon during the observing session. This results in somewhat worse quality of Apr. 18 images.

Wide-field mosaic image of comet Hyakutake, taken on 1996 Apr. 18, with the 2.8/180mm lens, CCD and narrow-band H₂O⁺ filter, centered at 620nm (FWHM=10nm). Three consecutive frames were taken between 19:24 and 19:52UT. Each frame was exposed for 5 minutes. The frame field of view is 9.9x1.9 deg.
(Size 285K)

B-W negative of the previous image.
(Size 210K)

Wide-field image of comet Hyakutake, obtained on 1996 Apr. 18 with the 2.8/35mm lens, ST-6 CCD and V filter. Exposure time was 5 minutes, starting at 19:48UT. The frame field of view is 14x10deg.
(Size 48K)

April 17, 1996

Wide-field mosaic image of comet Hyakutake, taken on 1996 Apr. 17, with the 2.8/180mm lens, CCD and narrow-band H₂O⁺ filter, centered at 620nm (FWHM=10nm). Two consecutive frames were taken between 19:30 and 19:43UT. Each frame was exposed for 5 minutes. The frame field of view is 7.1x2.2 deg.
(Size 219K)

B-W negative of the previous image.
(Size 161K)

Wide-field image of comet Hyakutake dust tail, obtained on 1996 Apr. 17 with the 2.8/180mm lens, CCD and dust continuum filter, centered at 647nm (FWHM=10nm). Exposure time was 5 minutes, starting at 19:16UT. The frame field size is 3.8x2.5deg.
(Size 138K)

Wide-field image of comet Hyakutake, obtained on 1996 Apr. 17 with the 2.8/35mm lens, ST-6 CCD and V filter. Exposure time was 5 minutes, starting at 19:58UT. The frame field of view is 14x10deg.
(Size 69K)

April 16, 1996

Wide-field mosaic image of comet Hyakutake, taken on 1996 Apr. 16, with the 2.8/180mm lens, CCD and narrow-band H₂O⁺ filter, centered at 620nm (FWHM=10nm). Two consecutive frames were taken between 19:50 and 20:07UT. Each frame was exposed for 5 minutes. The frame field of view is 6.6x2.4 deg.
(Size 233K)

B-W negative of the previous image.
(Size 159K)

April 15, 1996

Wide-field mosaic image of comet Hyakutake, taken on 1996 Apr. 15, with the 2.8/180mm lens, CCD and narrow-band H₂O⁺ filter, centered at 620nm (FWHM=10nm). Two consecutive frames were taken between 19:13 and 19:30UT. Each frame was exposed for 5 minutes. The frame field of view is 7.2x2.3 deg.
(Size 249K)

B-W negative of the previous image.
(Size 180K)

Wide-field image of comet Hyakutake, obtained on 1996 Apr. 15 with the 3.5/65mm lens, CCD and dust continuum filter, centered at 647nm (FWHM=10nm). Exposure time was 5 minutes, starting at 19:46UT. The frame field of view is 10.3x6.8deg.
(Size 135K)

Wide-field image of comet Hyakutake tail, obtained with the 2.8/35mm lens, ST-6 CCD and V-filter. Exposure time was 5 minutes, starting at 19:51UT. The frame field of view is14x10 deg.
(Size 70K)

April 14, 1996

Wide-field mosaic image of comet Hyakutake, taken on 1996 Apr. 14, with the 2.8/180mm lens, CCD and narrow-band H₂O⁺ filter, centered at 620nm (FWHM=10nm). Two consecutive frames were taken between 19:03 and 19:20UT. Each frame was exposed for 5 minutes. The frame field of view is 6.6x2.4 deg.
(Size 253K)

B-W negative of the previous image.
(Size 180K)

B-W negative of the comet initial 4 deg with details in inner gas tail. A fresh cloud of plasma has been detached just few hours before this image was taken. Frame obtained with the 2.8/180mm lens, CCD and narrow-band H₂O⁺ filter, centered at 620nm (FWHM=10nm). Exposure time was 5 minutes, starting at 19:03:50UT.
(Size 40K)