Pons Brooks doing a Hale Bopp

[tornado33]

Tonight I used my Rokinon 135mmf2 lens, 18 x 15 secs, iso 400, EOS Ra, with comet in the glare of dusk and still quite low. Has a separate dust and ion tail now. I used a Polarie for portability, carried the rig to a vacant lot next door to get a better view. Taken tonight, Apr 26. Flats used but hard to flatten the fierld with the bright dusk sky. Comet will get a bit higher and with a waning moon should be worth imaging. I think it makes a particularily good target for RASA owners with a good W horizon

[Geochron]

that's a great shot! I wasn't expecting so much structure to be visible quite so soon as it is still very low as you say. I have RASA at the ready but Melb is forecast to be cloudy for the rest of forever...

[Mickoid]

Yes, a fine effort and consider yourself fortunate to have had clear skies to capture it. I've had a go on several nights this week, hoping to get a lucky shot in between the clouds but no opportunity has evolved. Nicely captured and a good record of it's visit to our southern skies. Let's hope it keeps putting on a reasonable display throughout May and maybe I'll be able grab a shot before it fades away.

[Garyh]

That's come out a beautiful pic...done well processing.
I waited at the oval last evening but clouds would not co-operate
Well done

[Leo.G]

That's an amazing image!
I've been looking through the cloud when it clears a little, not managed to find anything other than more cloud.


You mention using the Vixen star tracker for the exposures, do comets follow any form of standard astronomical metrics?
I don't have a portable star tracker and was contemplating using my EQ5 PRO but figured if I didn't know rotational speed I may as well stick with a 200mm lens on a standard camera tripod.
They obviously WON'T be 15 second exposures if the sky ever clears up and I get to taking images.


Though I could build a rough star tracker and probably have everything here to do it but it would be quick and rough, slightly better than zero tracking.


I have 3 working principles:


1: Good and cheap, it won't be fast
2: Cheap and fast, it won't be good
3: Good and fast, it won't be cheap.

[Dave882]

Very nice indeed. Great to see the tails nice and clear. I’m hoping it stays fairly bright for a few weeks so we can grab some shots a little higher in the sky

[Garyh]

Hi leo,
I have built a star tracker maybe a year ago now. Pretty basic with 3to1 motor with some plastic gears and buck converter from aliexpress. Works quiet well. 2 min with 50mm lens and 15 sec tested with 200mm lens.
Without tracking you will be stuck at 1-2 seconds before the trailing is visible.
The comet seems slow moving from our prospective so you can go 2 min plus no problem without much movement. Worth setting up your eq5!

[Leo.G]

Thanks Gary!
I wasn't sure on movement and not expecting it to be close to sidereal or lunar/solar rate.

Ah, Glen Innes resident, my ex brother in law lives there, still a friend (he and his wife).
I must get up there one day but having cats I don't go far.

[astronobob]

That's a good image Tornado, Catching the ion tail is very cool ...