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.
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.
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
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
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
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!
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.
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
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...
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.
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!
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.
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
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