#621  
Old 04-02-2007, 02:13 PM
MortonH's Avatar
MortonH
Deprived of starlight

MortonH is online now
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 3,822
I'm curious why there are so many photos that show the tail wonderfully well, but where the head of the comet has either just gone behind trees, buildings, etc,. or is actually well below the horizon. Maybe it's just my own taste, but to me these are like cutting the top off someone's head in a normal photo.

Any thoughts/explanations?

Morton
Reply With Quote
  #622  
Old 04-02-2007, 03:50 PM
RB's Avatar
RB (Andrew)
Moderator

RB is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 26,070
Quote:
Originally Posted by MortonH View Post
I'm curious why there are so many photos that show the tail wonderfully well, but where the head of the comet has either just gone behind trees, buildings, etc,. or is actually well below the horizon. Maybe it's just my own taste, but to me these are like cutting the top off someone's head in a normal photo.

Any thoughts/explanations?

Morton
Morton there are exceptions to every rule and this comet is an exception.
If you can resist photographing it's majestic tail simply because the head is below the horizon then IMO your missing a unique photo op.

The views we had of the comet up at Lostock were a once in a lifetime experience, we didn't just pack up our gear and go home as soon as the head of the comet had set.

Same goes for the other shots, it's not always possible to frame it perfectly due to one's location, but why miss out though?

Don't forget also it was close to the setting sun, and as the sky got darker the comet became brighter, the tail was very bright by this stage but the head had already started to set.
Reply With Quote
  #623  
Old 04-02-2007, 10:18 PM
tornado33
Registered User

tornado33 is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Posts: 4,114
Mcnaught with Berts 300mm f2.8 lens

Hi
I used Bert's 300mm f2.8 flourite lens. The comet is too low for my 10 inch scope to see it so I could not use its mount to track it. I put the lens on a tripod and shot 20, three sec. shots ISO 400 and aligned them on the comet head, stacked them in Iris. The head is becoming more diffuse as it moves away from the Sun, as is the tail. My modded 350D was used, no filters used.
Scott
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (mcnaught20x3seciso400fullspect300m4feb06.jpg)
34.5 KB124 views
Reply With Quote
  #624  
Old 04-02-2007, 10:42 PM
CometGuy's Avatar
CometGuy
Registered User

CometGuy is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 942
2 From tonight. 17mm + 300D and 135mm + 350D.

Gallery with larger versions is at:

http://www.pbase.com/terrylovejoy/2006p1

Terry
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (comet_iis.jpg)
28.0 KB79 views
Click for full-size image (comet3_iis.jpg)
18.8 KB99 views
Reply With Quote
  #625  
Old 04-02-2007, 10:45 PM
RB's Avatar
RB (Andrew)
Moderator

RB is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 26,070
Quote:
Originally Posted by tornado33 View Post
Hi
I used Bert's 300mm f2.8 flourite lens. The head is becoming more diffuse as it moves away from the Sun, as is the tail. My modded 350D was used, no filters used.
Scott
I love that shot Scott.
Reply With Quote
  #626  
Old 04-02-2007, 11:03 PM
tornado33
Registered User

tornado33 is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Posts: 4,114
Thanks Rocket Boy. Good pics on your site there too Terry. gee hasnt the comets character changed, a broad fantail with a small antitail (sunward). The head is now very green also, plenty of gas coming off now. Its such a pity the comet never gets high in the sky. It would be spactacular even though its fading if it was directly overhead under a dark sky.
Scott
Reply With Quote
  #627  
Old 04-02-2007, 11:09 PM
Rob_K
Registered User

Rob_K is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Bright, Vic, Australia
Posts: 2,174
Noticed McNaught tail was much more clearly visible before moon rose tonight - easy naked-eye "V" tail and big improvement on a couple of days ago. Head visible with averted vision (mind you, staring into camera LCD display does not help night vision!). BTW, some great photos posted tonight .

Photo below is 7 15-sec exposures processed in Registax. Fujifilm Finepix S5500, 10x zoom, f3.1. Interesting in that it shows 'apparent' circular star trails around comet, but this is a result of the combination of field rotation over the few minutes I took to get the shots + the stacking process, centred on the comet head. Individual photos show parallel trails. Love the effect though!

Cheers -
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (McNaught 4 Feb 07, 10-50 UT reduced_filtered.jpg)
30.8 KB90 views
Reply With Quote
  #628  
Old 04-02-2007, 11:28 PM
swannies1983 (Dan)
Registered User

swannies1983 is offline
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 781
hehe...i Just produced the same effect Rob! Second pic is a single frame
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (cometreg.jpg)
132.5 KB84 views
Click for full-size image (good comet.jpg)
115.4 KB80 views
Reply With Quote
  #629  
Old 05-02-2007, 05:07 AM
cometcatcher's Avatar
cometcatcher (Kevin)
<--- Comet Hale-Bopp

cometcatcher is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Cloudy Mackay
Posts: 6,542
Multipoint alignment in registax can compensate for field rotation.
Reply With Quote
  #630  
Old 05-02-2007, 07:43 AM
firstlight's Avatar
firstlight (Tony)
You can't have everything

firstlight is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Acacia Ridge, Queensland
Posts: 1,502
Just worked on some photos from the 21st.
Standing on the side of the road opposite Archerfield Aerodrome, with security lights from the hangers spointing straight at us... funny, didn't notice them the first night we were there.

First two were 75 mm, stack of 3 in Photoshop, about 5 secs each, and the last was 300, same stack and times.

Tony
Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_6605.jpg
Views:	68
Size:	97.3 KB
ID:	23187

Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_6609.jpg
Views:	73
Size:	140.6 KB
ID:	23188

Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_6594.jpg
Views:	64
Size:	142.4 KB
ID:	23189
Reply With Quote
  #631  
Old 05-02-2007, 08:42 AM
Garyh's Avatar
Garyh
Amongst the stars

Garyh is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Glen Innes, N.S.W.
Posts: 2,885
Nice shots everyone!!! Nice image Scott and I like terrys wideangle shot...Seems like the dust tail goes all the way to the SMC..
Done some long exposure shots through my Tv genesis last night shall post shortly..
Cheers Gary
Reply With Quote
  #632  
Old 05-02-2007, 08:51 AM
loomberah's Avatar
loomberah (Gordon)
Registered User

loomberah is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Loomberah, NSW
Posts: 87
I've just posted a couple of images taken last night, just after moonrise and before the comet sank into the bush fire smoke: http://members.ozemail.com.au/~loomberah/mcnaught.htm

cheers, Gordon
Reply With Quote
  #633  
Old 05-02-2007, 10:34 AM
Garyh's Avatar
Garyh
Amongst the stars

Garyh is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Glen Innes, N.S.W.
Posts: 2,885
Very nice Gordon!,
Had all that smoke here as well but luckily it cleared up a bit by sunset.
Heres my go last night..Televue genesis, canon 300d,
stack of 5 images at 90 sec Df removed and processed in Ps.
The green of the head really stands out well now!
Cheers Gary...
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (mcnaught-4thfeb.jpg)
95.3 KB478 views
Reply With Quote
  #634  
Old 05-02-2007, 10:36 AM
iceman's Avatar
iceman (Mike)
Sir Post a Lot!

iceman is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Gosford, NSW, Australia
Posts: 36,770
Lovely images Gordon, Gary, Tony, Scott etc.
Reply With Quote
  #635  
Old 05-02-2007, 10:47 AM
Ric's Avatar
Ric
Support your local RFS

Ric is offline
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Wamboin NSW
Posts: 12,405
Lovely image Gary, I was trying for an image last night but was beaten by a cloud band that just hung around in that area. I could just make out a fuzzy blob before it fully dissapeared.

Curses foiled again
Reply With Quote
  #636  
Old 05-02-2007, 01:00 PM
MortonH's Avatar
MortonH
Deprived of starlight

MortonH is online now
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 3,822
Hi guys, last night I got my first look at McNaught since Jan 20. Lots of low cloud around Centennial Park. Struggled to find it at all then found the same small fuzzy blob that Ric mentions. Luckily I'd only carted out a pair of binos. In fact, if it wasn't for the bats dive-bombing me and then seeing the moon rise low in the other direction, it would have been a complete disappointment!

Morton
Reply With Quote
  #637  
Old 05-02-2007, 01:13 PM
psadams
Registered User

psadams is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 17
I found some awesome Mcnaught photos. Taken by John White from Port Lincoln, South Australia.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnwhite/366649244/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnwhi...n/photostream/

Last edited by psadams; 05-02-2007 at 01:52 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #638  
Old 05-02-2007, 09:57 PM
circumpolar's Avatar
circumpolar (Matt)
and around we go

circumpolar is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Quakers Hill, NSW
Posts: 426
Australia Day, Perth

Look in the center between lightning & fireworks!

Explanation: Sometimes the sky itself is the best show in town. On January 26, people from Perth, Australia gathered on a local beach to watch a sky light up with delights near and far. Nearby, fireworks exploded as part of Australia Day celebrations. On the far right, lightning from a thunderstorm flashed in the distance. Near the image centre, though, seen through clouds, was the most unusual sight of all: Comet McNaught. The photogenic comet was so bright that it even remained visible though the din of Earthly flashes. Comet McNaught continues to move out from the Sun and dim, but should remain visible in southern skies with binoculars through the end of this month. The above image is actually a three photograph panorama digitally processed to reduce red reflections from the exploding firework.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (mcnaught3_kemppainen (Large).jpg)
60.9 KB81 views
Reply With Quote
  #639  
Old 05-02-2007, 10:24 PM
tornado33
Registered User

tornado33 is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Posts: 4,114
Mcnaught with Berts 300mm f2.8 lens on portable rig

Hi
Desparate to get deeper shots I got out a 20 year old Vixen refractor mount, with its electric drive , degreased and oiled it, set it up to carry Bert.s 300mm lens to do longer tracked but unguided shots
8x13 sec 300mm f2.8, from my back steps just looking over neighbours house. 300D unmodded camera for natural colours, darks, flats offsets processed in Iris. There was a gradient due to it being down low but the IRIS gradient removal worked quite well to remove it. Top of tree just visible lower right.
Scott
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (mcnaught 8x13seciso400300mm5feb07.jpg)
85.1 KB94 views
Reply With Quote
  #640  
Old 05-02-2007, 11:07 PM
Ric's Avatar
Ric
Support your local RFS

Ric is offline
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Wamboin NSW
Posts: 12,405
Great image Scott, it's turned out really superb.

Cheers
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +10. The time is now 11:22 AM.

Powered by vBulletin Version 3.8.7 | Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Advertisement
Bintel
Advertisement