#121  
Old 22-12-2011, 01:38 AM
luigi
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Colin: You are the man! What a photo!!!

This comet is putting up a very nice show for us in the South Hemisphere.

Do you think it will get even better as it rises above the horizon?

I need to go to a dark location as soon as the clouds allow me.

Luis
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  #122  
Old 22-12-2011, 03:10 AM
Ian Cooper
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11.7 Degree tail

Hi Everyone,

Another brilliant morning here on the Manawatu Plains west of Palmerston North. I'm still pinching myself that this beautiful weather has coincided with this amazing display. Apart from Mcnaught in Jan 2007 when we had the cloudiest Jan in 82 years, we've been very lucky over the years with comets, and eclipses!

I got up about 3.10 a.m. local time. I walked around the side of the house to get a clear view and there it was. About 5 degrees of tail already sticking up. I gathered up all my cameras and drove about a km down the road to where I knew I could at least place a tree in my pics (dairy farmers around here adopt a bit of a scorched earth policy when it comes to trees near the road. Either none or too many!).

The four pics attached were taken with either my Fuji Finepix S9500 or a loaned Canon EOS 10D which I have used for the first time this morning, and so I'm still getting used to it (not a great time to be learning).

This looks more and more like a fainter, smaller version of Ikeya-Seki everyday. I grew up on photos of that famous sun-grazer, and now each morning this week I get up and see his little brother!

The first exposure with the 10D was 30 secs on ISO 1600. The 3rd shot is with the S9500, 20 secs, ISO 400.

No doubt we will see a lot better images quite soon.

Cheers, Coops.
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  #123  
Old 22-12-2011, 03:17 AM
luigi
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian Cooper View Post
Hi Everyone,

Another brilliant morning here on the Manawatu Plains west of Palmerston North. I'm still pinching myself that this beautiful weather has coincided with this amazing display. Apart from Mcnaught in Jan 2007 when we had the cloudiest Jan in 82 years, we've been very lucky over the years with comets, and eclipses!

I got up about 3.10 a.m. local time. I walked around the side of the house to get a clear view and there it was. About 5 degrees of tail already sticking up. I gathered up all my cameras and drove about a km down the road to where I knew I could at least place a tree in my pics (dairy farmers around here adopt a bit of a scorched earth policy when it comes to trees near the road. Either none or too many!).

The four pics attached were taken with either my Fuji Finepix S9500 or a loaned Canon EOS 10D which I have used for the first time this morning, and so I'm still getting used to it (not a great time to be learning).

This looks more and more like a fainter, smaller version of Ikeya-Seki everyday. I grew up on photos of that famous sun-grazer, and now each morning this week I get up and see his little brother!

The first exposure with the 10D was 30 secs on ISO 1600. The 3rd shot is with the S9500, 20 secs, ISO 400.

No doubt we will see a lot better images quite soon.

Cheers, Coops.
Your images are fantastic! I really really like them!
It's a fantastic display, we are lucky people down here in the South Hemisphere.
Argentina is cloudy but I'm going to take the car on Thursday and drive wherever I have to drive to get this comet in a photo. That or I change my name to "crapbag"
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  #124  
Old 22-12-2011, 03:35 AM
Trixie (Carey)
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Wow those images make me wish I had a decent camera. Thanks everyone for posting the info. I had to hike to the top of the ridge (in my pjs) but the view is fantastic and it is a perfect night for viewing here in Adelaide.

This is only the second comet I have seen it is so exciting!
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  #125  
Old 22-12-2011, 03:44 AM
swannies1983 (Dan)
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Great shots! Currently outside looking at it. Certainly is like a beacon of light coming up from the horizon. Taking some pics which I'll post later. Not as good as what others have done due to light pollution to the east. Two tails clearly visible in pics though
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  #126  
Old 22-12-2011, 04:13 AM
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iceman (Mike)
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Great shots Ian!

I was out there this morning too - saw it between clouds and captured a few images which are importing now.

I was lucky to see anything with all the clouds around, so I'll take it.

Gotta get up early though! By 4:30am it's lost in the light.
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  #127  
Old 22-12-2011, 04:23 AM
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seanliddelow (Sean)
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The clouds seem sky free over here in Perth, so i'm going out. The comet rises at 3:18AM for West Australians, but the tail should be visible earlier. I will try at some instantaneous shots with my 12.2MP camera. I dont know how the images will come out though but they should give some indication of what the comet looks like from suburban sky's. I will be lucky enough to be where Colin was when he took his image (Mandurah Estuary) for 5 days after new year so I might see even better observing conditions.

Sean
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  #128  
Old 22-12-2011, 04:25 AM
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More stunning shots!
Oh the anticipation waiting for it to breach the horizon here in Perth after seeing those most recent shots of it!

Grahame.
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  #129  
Old 22-12-2011, 05:41 AM
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kinetic (Steve)
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Here you go Terry,
This is from Aldinga airstrip this a.m.

My son kept me company. We tried to write Terry with our torch
We woke at 3am and drove about half an hour further south to get
a good, dark sky with good SE views and it was so dark there I didn't
realise those bloody powerlines were in the shot

Steve
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  #130  
Old 22-12-2011, 06:06 AM
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Yeah, have also seen it, and took some very ordinary images from a hospital, well lit carpark, but I got it. My work mates were very impressed!!

Well done Steve ..... I wondered what you wrote, great idea!!

Last edited by Liz; 22-12-2011 at 06:17 AM.
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  #131  
Old 22-12-2011, 06:15 AM
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kinetic (Steve)
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I didn't do the T right Liz!
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  #132  
Old 22-12-2011, 06:32 AM
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I thought it was Merry!
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  #133  
Old 22-12-2011, 07:00 AM
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I went outside at 2:30 and waited for half an hour before the tail came visible. I noticed the comet quite suddenly as if cloud cleared or that it had risen enough to provide contrast against the black sky. For the next 45 minutes I took photos (About 30) before my camera went flat. Luckily enough, twilight was just about to begin and the comet had disappeared by 4:15. An interesting observation to note is that the comets head wasn't visible at all. Either it was blocked by the hills, or it was fainter then the tail and went unnoticed in the haze. I think the latter is the most likely. This is quite the opposite to Comet McNaught. I was surprised to see Mercury, the Moon, Saturn and Mars following the comet on the ecliptic. I went inside at 4:30.

Sean
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  #134  
Old 22-12-2011, 07:59 AM
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Well the tail would have started to become visible at 0230 Perth time, much earlier then i expected.
I needed to tilt the camera to fit it in the frame but the shots were worth it in the end again.

Grahame.
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  #135  
Old 22-12-2011, 08:03 AM
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iceman (Mike)
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Wow, the tracked shot make a huge difference with the tail.

Stunning, Grahame!
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  #136  
Old 22-12-2011, 08:19 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grahame View Post
Well the tail would have started to become visible at 0230 Perth time, much earlier then i expected.
I needed to tilt the camera to fit it in the frame but the shots were worth it in the end again.

Grahame.
Superb shot Grahame! What camera/lens combination is that.. ie what field of view is required?

cheers
Phil
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  #137  
Old 22-12-2011, 08:19 AM
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It sure did mike and thanks to the farmers whos land I managed to set up on for a few hours too, complete with dead tree as foreground object for the comet rising this morning.
Thanks Phil it was taken using a canon 7D, 70mm lens.... oh i wish i had a 5d right about now!
Grahame.
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  #138  
Old 22-12-2011, 08:24 AM
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Awesome stuff Colin.. timelapse is lovely too.

I'm a busy busy man at the moment but going to have to find a way to get a look at this comet!

Phil
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  #139  
Old 22-12-2011, 08:28 AM
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Awesome stuff Colin.. timelapse is lovely too.

I'm a busy busy man at the moment but going to have to find a way to get a look at this comet!

Phil
You can't miss it, Phil!
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  #140  
Old 22-12-2011, 08:30 AM
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Thanks Grahame, another great image. The tail is at least 13 degrees long in your pic.
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