I wanted to rearrange my equipment to use a 300mm lens on the EOS450D.
But, discovered that it no longer had fine focus, after a small bounce on concrete...8(
So, a quick trip to cash converter, found this 500mm lens with T2 end.
Only $69, no hageling....
looks ok but need further play time....lovejoy image attached, moon and high cloud.
Here is my attempt at the Comet Lovejoy conjunction with M79 and NGC 1886 on 29th December 2014. The luminance data are based upon 5 sub frames, each an exposure of 2 minutes at 1x1 binning. The RGB data are based upon single exposures of 40, 40 and 60 seconds at 2x2 binning.
Here are two Comet Lovejoy images built from 10 luminance frames of 60 seconds recorded commencing 00:45 EST on 30th December 2014. The 10 frames were aligned on the stars for the first image, and on the comet nucleus for the second image.
The ion tail was sweeping across the faint edge-on spiral galaxy NGC1886 during the image sequence.
Really quick and dirty, 5D MK III, f/2.8, 300mm right at end of astro twilight, ISO 2000, moon past full but low elevation. 2.5s exposure, 7 image stack.
That's a nice one for the short time given Krishan.
Thanks Kevin, can't wait for the weekend and hopefully clear evenings too! If you get some time and clear skies tonight or tomorrow night, keen to see what you can achieve just before moonrise!
Happy new Year All, I have been off the grid over Xmas New Year !
Great to see the comet brightening so much, but there has been no chance from Cairns either, with the much needed rain finally arriving
I am heading west again though, so i am hoping for clearer skies out there. How many degrees does the Ion tail cover ?
Now this is just plain silly. Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy handheld. Don't need no stinking telescope or tripod. 2015 January 7 about 1300UT, Pentax K-5 handheld, 30+ year old 28mm F2.8 el-cheapo Kmart lens, 2 x 0.5 second for a total of 1 second exposure, ISO 51200.
Last edited by cometcatcher; 08-01-2015 at 02:45 AM.
Now this is just plain silly. Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy handheld. Don't need no stinking telescope or tripod. 2015 January 7 about 1300UT, Pentax K-5 handheld, 30+ year old 28mm F2.8 el-cheapo Kmart lens, 2 x 0.5 second for a total of 1 second exposure, ISO 51200.
Nice Kevin! Looks like it will be clear tonight in BNE, fingers crossed. Will get all da gear out to image.
Lucky meteor trail, but the interesting thing is how he oriented the camera and made the movie with his good camera? any local think we can do the same when the weather clears?
Also, has anyone seen or heard of any major Oz observatories pointing at this comet ? would like to see some images....
Good idea about the mats too. 
Classic 
2015 January 7 about 1300UT, Pentax K-5 handheld, 30+ year old 28mm F2.8 el-cheapo Kmart lens, 2 x 0.5 second for a total of 1 second exposure, ISO 51200.
