46P/Wirtanen Ephemeris

[jonkjon]

I read the very helpful thread on observing 46P/Wirtanen with SkyTools3 and it works great in the nightly planner. I have updated to the latest comets list from the web but when I try running the ephemeris tool, the data seems to be incorrect. It is showing Wirtanen in Aqr and at mag 13.8 or so. I attached a screen of my settngs.

--Jon






Won 

[theskyhound]

Hi,

There are two comet databases in SkyTools 3, one for historical comets, and one that is always kept current (the supplemental comet database). Because 46P is a periodic comet, it also appears in the historic database. The historical database is only accurate for dates in the far past. What has apparently happened is that you selected 46P from the historic database. Normally when you enter 46P into the search it will return the comet data from the supplemental database. But if you had selected the the comet prior to updating your current comets, and it had been a long time since you updated your current data, it may not have been in that database. In that case it will substitute the historic data.

To resolve the problem, click on the comet and enter 46P into the search again. This time you should get the comet from the more supplemental database.

[jonkjon]

Yes! That was indeed the problem. Thank you!

--Jon