Differential photometry experiment on Comet 17P - 2.59v

Differential photometry - not color index corrected - was attempted as
an experiment on Comet 17P on 2007-10-27 9:15 UTC. Using a wide-field
camera consisting of a Meade DSI adapted to a fish-eye lens, a wide
field (~14 deg) image of the region of Perseus around Comet 17P was
taken. The image was dark flatted but not white flatted. Using lam Per
as a reference star and AIP4WIN's single star photometry tool, a zero-
point was adopted that yielded the Tycho V catalogue magnitude for lam
Per. Using lam Per as the reference magnitude, differential
photometry was tested on del Per and V 48 Per (MX Per). Estimated
magnitudes were within the range of the small variation known for
those stars.

Differential photometery was then tried on Comet 17P resulting in an
estimate of 2.59v+-2%.

The comet is probably dimmer than this estimate as color index
correction could not be included. There is no internet published
color index for the comet.

This experiment illustrates how wide-field digital SLRs
might be used to prepare a time-series of differential photometry for
Comet 17P.

Comments and corrections to the above are welcomed and appreciated, as
I am doing this as a hobbyist learning exercise.

- Canopus56

Links -

Image with data annotations
http://gallery.utahastronomy.com/d/10501-2/20071027_17P_Photom.PNG

(image with explanation)
http://gallery.utahastronomy.com/v/kurt/solarsystem/Comet+17P+Holmes/20071027_17P_Photom.PNG.html

Photos about the adapted Meade DSI used to take the image
http://gallery.utahastronomy.com/v/kurt/Meade+DSI+Studies/ResolutionTest/?g2_page=2

.