OK I just finished processing the image for today, this is the best 52 images stacked using the 350D set at ISO 100 and each exposure 1/1250 sec + Takahashi E160 astrograph (with a 40cm long dew shield to keep sunlight at bay). As you can see obvious brightening from yesterday and the beginning of the tail is now visible. Brightness is conservatively mag -0.5 from comparision with Venus. Nearly missed the comet as it was at the top edge of the field (my RA setting circle is pretty crude!).
Even though I merged 2 threads the other day, I think Glen is right in having separate threads because otherwise the 1 thread will get very large, and people will keep posting "how do I find it" because the thread is too big to find the maps etc.
So i've created 3 threads, please try and keep your posts to the appropriate thread. I may move posts from time to time to keep them on-topic for the thread title.
I've made all the threads sticky, so you'll find them in the top section of the thread listing.
Here is my first white light image, taken at 4pm today with modded 350D and no filter at all.
5x1/3000th sec ISO 100. 10 inch f5.6, Argo Navis pointing. This time I took a flat field by moving the scope enough to have comet out of the field, hoping the change of lighting wont be too different to make the flat field useless.
I tried to see the comet visually, with a number of eyepieces, but to no avail, again sky bright with haze.
Scott
Amazing result Scott. You are a braver man than me pointing an optic close to the Sun during the day. Do you think the comet would show through a solar filter if the exposure was about right?
Hi Bert
Thanks.
It may well do so, the filter would have to be perfectly light tight. The other day I tried to get Mercury with solar filter on, but light leakage (not from the sun but light coming in from the side) ruined it.
Not much sun falls on the mirror so far, but the comet is closing on the sun and I will be careful. The closest ive been to the sun without a filter was imaging Venus 3 days before the Transit. That day, the sun was focussilg to a point 1/2 way between the secondary and the tube (yes I was VERY careful that day)
Scott
PS, thanks venus too
I re-processed the image, silly me I didnt stack them all.
This one is definately all 5 stacked. At first there was some misalingment as the tracking wasnt 100% between the images, but each shot had the comet bright enough for Iris to align them.
With the better contrast there may be some inner detail in the tail.
Scott
Hi
After seeing it visually for the first time, in daylight, I did 2 images
1 in white light unfiltered
15x 1/4000thsec ISO 100 taken at 12:15pm
the other is in infra red light 10x180th sec ISO 100 at 12:36pm
both taken with 10 inch f5;6 scope, modded 350D camera
Tail is now evident, gee its brightening FAST!
100% perfect flatfielding noit possiblt as even moving the scope a small distance to do flatfields changed the lighting due to sunlight reflections hence the other artifacts
Many thanks yes its an exciting object for sure
Heres a mapped colour image.
The blue channel was deleted. here blue represents green, green represents red and red represents infra red.
The comet itself appears white and an even shade of white all over.
Scott
yes its an exciting object for sure
