Trixology

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: JosBaz on July 29, 2020, 07:04:28 PM

Title: Astrophotography
Post by: JosBaz on July 29, 2020, 07:04:28 PM
Not really weather, unless of course we consider this space-weather! Either way, observing and photographing the night-sky is very weather dependent so worth a new topic.

I wanted to photograph C/2020 F3 (or simply 'Comet NEOWISE') since it won't be visibile for the next 7000 years or so, but also while it was one of the 'best' comets in the past 25 years. The attached show is a stack of 50 images, each with a 2 sec exposure @ISO800 using a Nikon DSLR with a 80-200/2.8 lens.


Title: Re: Astrophotography
Post by: Blicj11 on July 29, 2020, 07:08:24 PM
Very cool JosBaz! Thank you, thank you for sharing. (If you are trying to figure out what you are looking at, you might have to download the jpg to see the comet.)
Title: Re: Astrophotography
Post by: Randall75 on July 29, 2020, 07:12:22 PM
JosBaz
Great picture of the comet


thanks ThU32:-)

Title: Thanks for sharing! (Re: Astrophotography)
Post by: elagache on July 29, 2020, 11:12:56 PM
Dear Jos, Blick, Randall, and WeatherCatters with "stars in their eyes,"

I wanted to photograph C/2020 F3 (or simply 'Comet NEOWISE') since it won't be visibile for the next 7000 years or so, but also while it was one of the 'best' comets in the past 25 years.

Thanks for sharing!  I was aware of this comet and in principle have the equipment to try to photograph it, but I just don't have the time.  Still, it brought back memories.  On my wall I have a photo I took of comet West in 1976 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_West)!

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]
Title: Re: Astrophotography
Post by: xairbusdriver on July 29, 2020, 11:21:26 PM
An outstanding image! ThU5:-) You obviously have some serious equipment to keep that camera aimed! Is the comet now visible near Sundown or still just before Sunrise?
Title: Re: Astrophotography
Post by: wurzelmac on July 30, 2020, 12:53:23 PM
Wow, coll shot, JosBaz.  8)
Title: Re: Astrophotography
Post by: mcrossley on July 30, 2020, 02:00:24 PM
Nice shot - you can clearly see both tails.
Title: Re: Astrophotography
Post by: JosBaz on July 30, 2020, 09:55:28 PM
An outstanding image! ThU5:-) You obviously have some serious equipment to keep that camera aimed! Is the comet now visible near Sundown or still just before Sunrise?

Thanks all for the kind words. :)

Actually it is pretty standard equipment: normal DSLR camera with a telelens, mounted on a tripod. Remote shutter (wired). No filters. So there was no tracking for these shots to keep the camera aimed (which is why I kept exposure to 2 seconds).
The key component here is the stacking software (I used Astro-Pixel-Processor).

I took the shots about an hour after sunset (Northwest direction). The comet should still be visible these days, but it is getting fainter quickly.



Title: Re: Astrophotography
Post by: xairbusdriver on July 30, 2020, 10:08:35 PM
Thanks for the info! ThU5:-)
Title: Re: Astrophotography
Post by: BikerGeek on July 31, 2020, 05:35:01 AM
Just wanted to say as the others have said, that is great picture.
Title: Re: Astrophotography
Post by: xairbusdriver on August 02, 2020, 09:21:45 PM
Speaking of "Astro", our most recent mission has made the first US splashdown in 45 years! Both astronauts are back on the recovery ship and looking great!! ThU5:-)
Title: Re: Astrophotography
Post by: WCDev on August 08, 2020, 03:57:12 PM
Wow! very impressive image  ThU32:-)