Post Your Comet Pictures

[East Wind Photography]

Comet 2011L4 has been putting on quite a show in the southern hemisphere and next week (3/10/2013) those of us in the northern hemisphere will get a chance.

Please post your comet pictures and let us know what equipment/settings you used.

 

[niteclicks]

I sure hope to, I've spent the last week scouting for the best view. Just hope the weather holds.

 

[East Wind Photography]

Yep it's iffy here as well but at least its possible. The comet's brightness drops off pretty fast after the 10th so we really only have a few days next week to even have a decent chance at it. The 12th looks like the BEST photo op due to the crescent moon that will be close to it.

I sure hope to, I've spent the last week scouting for the best view. Just hope the weather holds.

 

[niteclicks]

and Uranus right below . I have a "new to me" 300 2.8l is coming Friday that with the 5DIII I'm thinking will give me the framing I want.

 

[East Wind Photography]

Should be an excellent combo. I will be using the same here and will have an optional 70-200 2.8L IS II just in case I need to go wider. Not sure how dark the sky will be but I also have an equatorial tracking mount....However it has to be aligned manually and not sure I will have the time to fuss with that before it's set and gone.

I'm going to try over exposing and use the histogram. Then pull it back down in Photoshop. Should help reduce the noise at higher ISO's. Lots of playing to do in a short period of time.

and Uranus right below . I have a "new to me" 300 2.8l is coming Friday that with the 5DIII I'm thinking will give me the framing I want.

 

[niteclicks]

I'm wondering if a polarizer would be of any help . I know the max effect is 90 deg to the sun but would it help cut though the low thin haze? I don't want to mess with the mount either, just a tripod. Right now I figure 10-15 min max. 8:00 to 8:15 peak unless it gets really bright

 

[East Wind Photography]

I'm not sure about the polarizer. The 2 stop loss might not make up any gain. Might be worth trying though. Easy enough to swap out on the 300mm.

I'm going to use a deep sky filter. I got a 2" Deep sky filter took the filter out of the threaded ring and dropped it in place of the UV filter in an extra drop in I got off ebay. I'll try with and without. Probably the only thing it might enhance is any ionization tail or coma. We'll see. As you noted time is of the essence...no time to fuss around.

I'm wondering if a polarizer would be of any help . I know the max effect is 90 deg to the sun but would it help cut though the low thin haze? I don't want to mess with the mount either, just a tripod. Right now I figure 10-15 min max. 8:00 to 8:15 peak unless it gets really bright

 

[TrumpetPower!]

I actually only learned about the comet yesterday, and just today made plans for an "emergency" road trip up to the Grand Canyon to shoot it. There's nowhere in the Valley of the Sun with a clear-but-interesting westward view free of light pollution, but that's almost a textbook description of many spots along the South Rim....

Cheers,

b&

 

[erax7]

How do I post an image? otherwise - here is my flickr image of comet panstarrs - taken with the canon 6D 200mm F4 ISO 6400 5s (normally would shoot 3s at this focal length) about one hour after sunset in Perth Western Australia http://www.flickr.com/photos/59977949@N04/8525459685/#

 

[Drizzt321]

Wow...nice. I might have to find some time at night 10, 11 or 12 to take a trip up the beach to Malibu, and hope there isn't too much light pollution coming from the rest of LA.

 

[East Wind Photography]

You can click the plus sign next to Attachments and other options below the text box.

How do I post an image? otherwise - here is my flickr image of comet panstarrs - taken with the canon 6D 200mm F4 ISO 6400 5s (normally would shoot 3s at this focal length) about one hour after sunset in Perth Western Australia http://www.flickr.com/photos/59977949@N04/8525459685/#

 

[justawriter]

Grumble. Looking at the extended forecast for my area, what I need is a filter that will let my camera see through clouds. I'll have to hope for a timely break in the next two weeks of "mostly cloudy" weather.

 

[solargravity]

I can't wait to photography the comets of 2013. All of your posts have got me amped up even more! I'm praying for some really clear evenings here in upstate NY in between the Catskill and Adirondack Mountains! Either way it's going to be one heck of a summer to capture.

I'll post my images to the forum and to my blog via this link.
www.solargravity.com/blog

 

[East Wind Photography]

Not sure if there is any chance this weekend. Supposed to have clear skies here. Might still be too close to the sun.

I can't wait to photography the comets of 2013. All of your posts have got me amped up even more! I'm praying for some really clear evenings here in upstate NY in between the Catskill and Adirondack Mountains! Either way it's going to be one heck of a summer to capture.

I'll post my images to the forum and to my blog via this link.
www.solargravity.com/blog

 

[Lloyd]

Here are a few I took a couple of hours ago in Austin using my old FD 800mm and my 5dIII at ISO 3200. I may try again tomorrow at a different location with a little wider angle lens to try to get some foreground.

 

[niteclicks]

Barely brightened above the background here before disappearing into the muck. 5DMKiii and 200 2.8l @ 2.8 iso 6400 . Jupiter was my focus check.

 

[East Wind Photography]

Awesome shots guys. Tonight's the best night with the moon near by. It's raining here today but supposed to clear out this afternoon. Will be hit or miss on how many clouds are left after 7pm.

Anxious to see what everyone comes up with tonight. Also please post your exposures and what time you took them. 5 minutes can change everything.

 

[niteclicks]

NO kidding, 1st one was 8:04 ,2nd one minute later, then it was gone. Raining here this morning too. Was supposed to be a perfectly clear day :'(!!! Back home I could find it in shots up to 10 minutes earlier.

 

[East Wind Photography]

That's great. Gives us some idea of the time frame after sunset. I checked the forecast here and clouds start thinning at 3 or 4 pm and supposed to be clear by 7pm on. Which means clearer toward the west as the evening goes on. I'm cautiously optimistic!! ;D

Now kidding, 1st one was 8:04 ,2nd one minute later, then it was gone. Raining here this morning too. Was supposed to be a perfectly clear day :'(!!! Back home I could find it in shots up to 10 minutes earlier.

 

[TrumpetPower!]

I've been at the Grand Canyon the past couple nights and never saw a thing. Seeing how small it is in those 800mm shots, I can understand why...even if it actually is in the shots I took, it wouldn't be more than a few pixels.

So...I know to definitely plan on setting up the 400 with the 1.4x tonight, and to not bother with anything other than the 70-200 on the other body for the "wide"-angle shot. Bummer...I was hoping to have more of the Canyon in the shot. Maybe I'll set up the 70-200 on a pano head....

b&