Comets 8P/Tuttle & 17P/Holmes, 28 Dec 07

[Rob_K]

Two 'bright' comets in one shot. Stack of two 2-min subs taken with Canon 400D piggybacked on 4.5" f8 reflector on EQ1 and hand-guided with NexImage. Tuttle is green spot at left. Murky-brown from sky-glow from Albury-Wodonga :doh:. Rough levels adjustment, crop & re-size in PS CS2.

Tuttle appeared as a small round smudge in binocs, bigger smudge in scope, and no sign of bright core or any tail. Holmes was naked eye (just) and huge!! Excellent in binocs, but didn't put scope on it as I know the magnification kills it.

Cheers -

[tornado33]

Gee very nice, I didnt realise Tuttle was so bright. rare to get 2 bright comets in one shot
Scott

[erick]

Now that's neat, Rob. Quick - publish somewhere!

[iceman]

Excellent work Rob! Very well done! I reckon we'll see that on spaceweather today!

What time was that taken?

[Rob_K]

Thanks all! Mike, that was taken just before 10:30pm (UT+11) last night.

Cheers -

[[1ponders]]

Wow Rob, nicely done. :thumbsup: What lens did you use?

[davidpretorius]

Congratulations Rob, top stuff!

[Rob_K]

Paul, I only have the 18-55mm kit lens - these were taken at 18mm. Have had a chance to reprocess, to improve the stacking - first is the tight crop, and second is the widefield. Note rim of OTA at bottom-left :P, and bad skyglow at bottom. All part of the comedy of errors that attended the night - limited gear, new mount (wrestling with unfamiliar manual EQ), bad camera possie, etc etc. It's a wonder I got anything at all, other than a bad headache!:whistle:

Cheers -

[Ric]

Great capture Rob, well done.

Cheers

[spearo]

Great shots 2 in one!
i kinda like the larger shot too
nice work
frank:thumbsup:

[h0ughy]

you the man Rob!!!

[RB]

Wow congrats Rob, great capture.
I was checking out SN last night and realised that both could be gotten within the same FOV.

Glad you managed to capture them.

:thumbsup:

[beren]

Unique capture Rob well done, really like the larger image :thumbsup:

[[1ponders]]

If you get it clear again tonight see if you can get M31 in the frame as well. :D

About 28mm should do it ;)

[Rob_K]

Thanks Paul, I was trying to do that last night but with the camera position fixed on tube rings I was locked into portrait & couldn't quite get it (or couldn't get it 'safely' with all the mad fumbling. On 27th, the three objects were all in line. M33 is also there - it's a small fuzzy glow in my full shot, up above Tuttle.

Madly trying to make a camera mount I can move around the OTA. But just got the call to go out to see friends tonight, so looks like that's it! :drink:


Cheers -