Comet C/2014 Q1 PANSTARRS

[tel.lekatsas (Tel)]

This lovely comet is moving higher in the sky. Imaged tonight from Kingaory, just before moonrise. Luminance only, 3 x 300 seconds. Unfortunately the comet was behind trees before I could get colour data (got R and G but no B).

There are a couple of galaxies visible through the dust tail on the right.

Full resolution http://www.astrobin.com/199019/

[andyc (Andy)]

Great shot Tel! Nice to see the three tails still going strong, cute galaxies, and a good prod for me to actually finish processing my 21st July Panstarrs shot. Thanks for the view

[cometcatcher (Kevin)]

Crickey Tel that's a beauty! It looks like it has a double nucleus?

[Derek Klepp]

Thats a beauty

[doppler (Rick)]

Nice capture, it is an interesting comet for sure. You don't get much time with this one though, as soon as it starts getting dark enough its gone.

[tel.lekatsas (Tel)]

Originally Posted by andyc

Great shot Tel! Nice to see the three tails still going strong, cute galaxies, and a good prod for me to actually finish processing my 21st July Panstarrs shot. Thanks for the view

Thanks Andy, I was really surprised to see the three tails still visible.

Originally Posted by cometcatcher

Crickey Tel that's a beauty! It looks like it has a double nucleus?

Thanks Kevin. The doubled nucleus is a processing artefact - long subs make it hard to precisely align on the smeared out core. I'll reprocess it at some stage.

Originally Posted by Derek Klepp

Thats a beauty

Thanks for the encouragement Derek.

Originally Posted by doppler

Nice capture, it is an interesting comet for sure. You don't get much time with this one though, as soon as it starts getting dark enough its gone.

It sure is an interesting comet. I got quite excited to see the first subs come through with three tails still visible. There isn't much time to capture it, but it's getting higher (and fainter) - at least the moon is out of the way (and it finally cleared the one bloody tree west of the scope a few nights ago).

[chuckywiz (Ben)]

Can i ask... when taking shots like this with no star trails, are you aligned on the comet or on a background star. i would think if the comet star trails yeh? im so hoping for the clouds to bugger off here so i can try myself

Ben

[blink138 (Pat)]

too right ben!
pat

[tel.lekatsas (Tel)]

Originally Posted by chuckywiz

Can i ask... when taking shots like this with no star trails, are you aligned on the comet or on a background star. i would think if the comet star trails yeh? im so hoping for the clouds to bugger off here so i can try myself

Ben

Hi Ben,

I've aligned on the background stars with this one. The comet is moving slowly enough that the final image is not too bad except for the doubled and smeared nucleus.

In other images I've stacked on the comet, stacked on the stars and combined, but I'm rarely happy with the finished result and still experimenting.

Tel

[chuckywiz (Ben)]

Appreciate the reply. Thanks. Now for the clouds to go so i can see it