My log of images of Comet Lovejoy

[Lester]

Hi all,

Like many would have liked to have seen more of this comet, but cloud limited out views. Here is my log of images from the 22nd December up to 3rd January. More will be added later when the weather improves for me. It has been a wonderful comet to view, for me being second to Mc Naught 2006-07.

I have improved the images from what has been posted before due to using GradientXTerminator in Photoshop.

22nd December
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/21160bc3.jpg

23rd December
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/3359c0f7.jpg

28th December
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/e1ead5f8.jpg

30th December
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/ba94f9d5.jpg

31st December
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/8a034989.jpg

1st January
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/505af907.jpg

2nd January
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/1c97b37a.jpg

3rd January= Photomerge of 2 images with 24mm lens at F2, 4 minute exposures.
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/53479490.jpg

11th January= only a 20 second exposure was possible due to the Moon rising at 10p.m. . The comet is getting very close to the LMC. Text on image helps to identify the comets position. 24mm lens at F1.4.
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/19c6dab5.jpg

13th January= 2 minute exposure with 50mm lens at F2, using Astro 40D at ISO 800. Looks like the tail goes well past the LMC.
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/844abef5.jpg
Inverted view= 18 x 2 minute exposures, showing the extent of the tail better.
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/3f8c5e14.jpg

14th January = 8 minute exposure with 24mm lens at F2 and Astro 40D at ISO 400. Tail extends out of the frame being over 36 degrees in length. Plus a fork in the tail can be seen in smaller thumbnail size image that passes above Canopus.
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/dc10a80c.jpg

15th January= 5x12 minute exposures with 24mm lens at F2 and Astro 40D at ISO 400. This is about as deep as my rig can go.
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/47a04e12.jpg

16th January= 24mm lens at F2, ISO 1600= 2 FOVs merged.
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/b4f68b33.jpg

18th January= 24mm lens at F2, ISO 1600. 8x3 minute exposures.
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/3f268019.jpg

20th January=4x4 mins, 24mm lens at F2, Astro 40D ISO 1600. Thin cloud present.
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/9fb80327.jpg

[renormalised (Carl)]

Well done, Lester

Great images

[Shiraz (Ray)]

amazing collection Lester - thanks for posting the reprocessed versions. Regards Ray

[Astroman (Andrew Wall)]

Nice work Lester, looks great

[Lester]

Thanks Carl, Ray and Andrew for your comments.

Here I have added the same images, just smaller.

22-12-11
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/f3764073.jpg

23-12-11

http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/570fbeca.jpg

28-12-11
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/dcf88292.jpg

30-12-11
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/afaeba05.jpg

31-12-11
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/a76971be.jpg

1-1-12
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/609a3518.jpg

2-1-12
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/956ff6b6.jpg

3-1-12 =photomerge of 2 x 4 minute exposures with 24mm lens at F2.
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/bb2c09eb.jpg

[Garyh]

You have done a wonderful job Lester! Lovely progression as it fades away.
I wished I stayed home for Chrissy and caught the first few mornings of lovejoy, must have been a real sight coming over the horizon!

[gregbradley]

That's a great timeline of the comet. I was amazed at how quickly it faded.

I started imaging on Christmas Eve morning. I then imaged it again on the 27th morning and it was noticeably dimmer although I was now viewing it at my dark site.

Then just 3 days later it seemed to disappear altogether.

Later images show there is no nucleus so it appears it completely vaporised and the gas/dust/water vapour trail is drifting without any new fuel so to speak. Or very little.

I did image it just a few days ago with an astroCCD and it still comes up but visually it is virtually undetectable unless you use averted vision and even then it is faint as.

Greg.

[StephenM (Stephen)]

Fantastic set of images Lester! Great stuff.

Cheers,
Stephen

[Lester]

Thanks Gary, Greg and Stephen for your comments.

I have not had a chance at seeing the comet since the 3rd due to persistant cloud; still living in hope though.

[tilbrook@rbe.ne (Justin Tilbrook)]

Hi, Lester.

Great sequence of images!
I think if we trawled the net, a pretty good animation could be made with all the images taken.

Cheers,

Justin.

[Lester]

Thanks Justin for your comments.

I have been adding all the new images of Comet Lovejoy to the first post in this thread so people don't have to search everywhere to find them.

All the best.

[stardust steve (Steve)]

Spectacular images. My favourite is the 23rd Dec pic displaying Lovejoy in all its glory
Second favorite, the close up of the LMC 13th Jan, amazing detail and colour

[Lester]

Hi all, I have been updated images to the first post as I take more images of Comet Lovejoy; But for some unknown reason the "Edit" button has been removed from my post so I cannot add images in there. Can a moderator explain why this had happened please.

Here is my comet Lovejoy image from last night 22-1-12 it is 13x3 minute exposures taken with 24mm lens at F1.4 and astro 40D at ISO 1600.

http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/457598c7.jpg

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by Lester

Hi all, I have been updated images to the first post as I take more images of Comet Lovejoy; But for some unknown reason the "Edit" button has been removed from my post so I cannot add images in there. Can a moderator explain why this had happened please.

IIRC you can only edit posts less than 2 weeks old.

[Lester]

Hi all,

23-1-12 image of Comet Lovejoy= 7x5 minute exposures with 24mm lens at F2 and Astro 40D at ISO 1600.
Canopus at the bottom and Sirius to the left.

http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/439ece91.jpg

[multiweb (Marc)]

Very cool series. Nice collection indeed.

[astronobob (Bob)]

Wow Lester, You certainly have given Lovejoy a work-out, Impressive ! !

[Matt Wastell (Matt)]

Hi Lester
A stunning collection of a super comet! Thanks for the post!

[Lester]

Thanks Marc, Bob and Matt for your comments. I will keep shooting the comet till I cannot see it.

All the best.

[Lester]

Hi all,

this is 7x6 minute exposures taken with 24mm lens at F2, and Astro 40D at ISO 1600 taken on 24-1-12.

http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/8da46aea.jpg