Comet d'Arrest 1976e, August 25, 1976.
15 minutes exposure. Kodak Tri-X 400 film. 5" f/5 refractor at prime focus.
During August 1976, the periodic comet d'Arrest made its closest ever approach to the Earth. As a result the comet became much brighter than usual, reaching a peak of about magnitude 5.2 and remaining visible to the naked eye for about 5 weeks during late August and September.
I will never forget the sight on August 19 when the comet drifted past the Helix nebula. (NGC 7293) On that night, the two objects were visible in the same field of my 5" refractor, with the comet appearing a little larger and a little brighter than the nebula. Unfortunately the weather gods were frowning on me that night as when I was about to photograph the sight, a bank of cloud rolled in from the west stopping the observing! Still at least I was able to see the event! Comet d'Arrest was still at magnitude 7 in mid-October, and may well have undergone a flare in brightness, as 8 days later it had faded to magnitude 9. A similar flare may also have occurred during the 1982 return of the comet.
The comet also became very large and diffuse reaching 20 arc minutes on August 22.
Comet d'Arrest 1976e, August 30, 1976.
17 minutes exposure. Kodak Tri-X 400 film. 50mm f/2 Yachica lens.
