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Comet McNaught

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LAN_403

Tesladownunder

Tue Jan 16 2007, 12:51PM

Registered Member #10 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 09:45AM
Location: Bunbury, Australia
Posts: 1424

A couple of pics of Comet McNaught taken an hour ago.

Peter

ragnar

Tue Jan 16 2007, 01:11PM

Registered Member #63 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:18AM
Location:
Posts: 1425

Congratulations, Peter -- you're doing infinitely better than I; will keep looking tomorrow.

Marko

Tue Jan 16 2007, 01:32PM

Registered Member #89 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 02:40PM
Location: Zadar, Croatia
Posts: 3145

That really is cool - I couldn't see anything on my side with all the light pollution and buildings, combined with my astronomical ignorance.

Happy comet hunting, south hemisphere...

Steve Conner

Tue Jan 16 2007, 01:48PM

Registered Member #30 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 10:52AM
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 6706

I couldn't see it today (first clear day in a week) and what's more, I'm struggling to understand how it could have been easier to see in the northern hemisphere last week, and the southern this week. Surely it's so far away that it appears in the same position relative to the sun no matter where you are on Earth. Could someone who knows a bit more about astronomy than me (which wouldn't be hard...) explain please?

Tesladownunder

Tue Jan 16 2007, 07:12PM

Registered Member #10 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 09:45AM
Location: Bunbury, Australia
Posts: 1424

Steve Conner wrote ...

I couldn't see it today (first clear day in a week) and what's more, I'm struggling to understand how it could have been easier to see in the northern hemisphere last week, and the southern this week. Surely it's so far away that it appears in the same position relative to the sun no matter where you are on Earth. Could someone who knows a bit more about astronomy than me (which wouldn't be hard...) explain please?

Presumably it was above the plane of the ecliptic last week and is now below it. ie it is not "level " with the planets in the elliptical orbit around the sun. Being closer to the sun it is now brighter but better visible in the southern hemisphere.

I used a 180mm lens. The earlier brighter photo was 1/15th sec but the darker second one was a 2 second exposure f22 taken about 30 yds back behind the spectators who were asked to stay real still. f22 was to try to get the spectators in focus as well. I tried to get the ocean in the shot as well but it was too difficult.

Peter

HV Enthusiast

Tue Jan 16 2007, 11:38PM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068

Steve,

You're not going to be able to see it after sunset at all anymore from the Northern hemisphere. If the comet is still maintaining the brightness it had two days ago, you may be able to catch a glimpse when the sun is at its highest during the day, but it will probably be diminishing day by day.

The comet, as Peter said, is above the ecliptic. Therefore, during sunrise and sunset, it will always appear to be "below" the sun for the Northern Hemisphere (so you won't see it now) But right now, it ideal for southern observers. You're about a week too late Steve . . .

Here is my image of the comet from last week here in good ole NJ.

http://www.danielmccauley.com/solar_007.html

Dan

Tesladownunder

Sat Jan 20 2007, 02:03PM

Registered Member #10 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 09:45AM
Location: Bunbury, Australia
Posts: 1424

This comet is HUGE. It is the width of my hand (across the knuckles) held out at arms length. On a time exposure the trail is massive. I had to drive back to get my wide angle lens and just missed the head as it dipped below the horizon. Will try to get a better shot tomorrow night. The last photo is amazing and shows the huge spread across the sky which is only partly visible to the naked eye.

Peter

1169301817 10 FT19837 Cometwideviewmichael

Tesladownunder

Mon Jan 22 2007, 05:54PM

Registered Member #10 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 09:45AM
Location: Bunbury, Australia
Posts: 1424

I finally got the photo I wanted after a cloudy night. I was able to spend more time framing it. I was just about to shoot a long shot when the sprinklers came on for the beachside park. Fortunately the front of the camera wasn't wet. I covered that sprinkler with a chair and resumed. Just after I finished the final shot the next sprinklers came on and I had to run away.

This is my best comet shot and is framed a lot better.

Peter

1169488470 10 FT19837 Cometchrismoon1000

Alex

Mon Jan 22 2007, 08:37PM

Geometrically Frustrated
Registered Member #6 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 04:18AM
Location: Bowdoin, Maine
Posts: 373

Wow, that is awesome.

Dr. Shark

Wed Jan 24 2007, 08:40PM

Registered Member #75 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 09:30AM
Location: Montana, USA
Posts: 711

Very impressive! A quality camera in the hands of someone truly able to use it, and then the comet coming along - a rare combination.

May I ask why the stars are streaky but the person is not? I'd imagine that to see the stars move (or the earth rotate) one would have to expose for several minutes, and surely not even Chris (?) could stand still that long.

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