Comet 52P/ Harrington-Abell

Comet 52P/ Harrington-Abell is generally a faint periodic comet with a period of about 7.5 years. Although on most returns the comet is fainter than 15th magnitude, during the 1998 return, the comet reached about 11th magnitude in July, thousands of times brighter than expected. Clearly the comet had experienced some kind of outburst.

During the very favourable 2013 return, the comet reached around 15th magnitude. On December 11, the comet displayed a small, well condensed coma with a short faint tail.


Comet 52P/ Harrington-Abell. 29 November, 2013
Combination of 5, 3 minute images unfiltered.
SBIG STL-1001E CCD. 20" f/6.8 cassegrain at prime focus.


Comet 52P/ Harrington-Abell. 11 December, 2013
Combination of 5, 3 minute images unfiltered.
SBIG STL-1001E CCD. 20" f/6.8 cassegrain at prime focus.


Comet 52P/ Harrington-Abell. 20 January, 2014
Combination of 5, 3 minute images unfiltered.
SBIG STL-1001E CCD. 20" f/6.8 cassegrain at prime focus.