ISON Update

[Ben]

The comet makes its closest approach to the sun next week. It had seemed hit or miss on how much of a show it will put on come December, but this story makes things look promising. I'm hoping it doesn't fizzle out after it passes the sun. :)

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/11/19/stunning-comet-ison-photographed-by-amateur-astronomer/?intcmp=features

[AJ Dual]

If it's at all visible with suburban light pollution, I'm going to call it a win.

[geronimotwo]

wish we could see that low on the horizon.  around here there are too many mountains.   

[Ben]

wish we could see that low on the horizon.  around here there are too many mountains.   

If it ends up being spectacular, I'm gonna camp in the desert or on one of the local islands for a weekend to check it out. Don't know how many more of these will pass through before I pass through. :)

I was on a backpacking trip in the mountains back when Hyakutake passed through. We were sleeping out in the open and it was pretty cool waking up throughout the night to check it out.

[AJ Dual]

If it ends up being spectacular, I'm gonna camp in the desert or on one of the local islands for a weekend to check it out. Don't know how many more of these will pass through before I pass through. :)

I was on a backpacking trip in the mountains back when Hyakutake passed through. We were sleeping out in the open and it was pretty cool waking up throughout the night to check it out.

I remember that as well. We drove out into the far Milwaukee exurbs to get away from the worst of the light. It was January and freezing. I recall Mrs. Dual was my then girlfriend, and having trouble pointing it out to her until she backed her eyes off a bit and she realized it was about 1/3rd the length of the visible sky.

Maybe that was Hale-Bopp. 

[Gowen]

The funny part of this whole thing is I am reading Lucifer's Hammer.  Good book, by the way.

[Gewehr98]

Looking forward to it, also.

Moonless night, D300 attached to 5" Dobsonian - maybe I'll get a decent image!

Or just slap the 50mm f1.8 lens on the camera, and set it on the tripod for a 30 second exposure...

[Ben]

Looking forward to it, also.

Moonless night, D300 attached to 5" Dobsonian - maybe I'll get a decent image!

Or just slap the 50mm f1.8 lens on the camera, and set it on the tripod for a 30 second exposure...

That's awesome! I've never tried comet photography. Any tips? I have the same D300 with a choice of a 35mm, 18-200, 150-500.

I have one of those Meade tracking telescopes I bought used years ago, but no camera adapter for it. In fact I haven't had it out in years. I should play around with it over Tday.

[AJ Dual]

Ooohh... Mrs. Dual's got a 50mm for the D7000, I'm going to have to try that too.

[Gewehr98]

I've been capturing the Milky Way from my front yard at night, using a tripod and exposures in ISO 1600 - 3200 range with a fast prime lens (50mm f1.8 D).

The trick is to keep your exposure down below 30 seconds duration, so that you don't get star tracks.  The faster the lens, then obviously less exposure time.

I was even able to do so with the relatively crappy Nikon 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 VR kit lens, but was pushing things a bit - using every bit of ISO 3200!

Longer than 30 seconds, and you'll need to have a motorized tracking mount to avoid blurs.    

The light pollution in SE Wisconsin is something I have to work around, too.

Light pollution map:

http://www.jshine.net/astronomy/dark_sky/

[AJ Dual]

Trying to figure out if there's a sodium filter that's compatible with Mrs. Dual's Nikkor 50mm...

A drive to a "dark"(ish) spot in Waukesha is do-able, but a drive to far NW Wisconsin for some sky photography is not going to happen.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1022920

[Azrael256]

That's awesome! I've never tried comet photography. Any tips?

Duck.

[Sergeant Bob]

The funny part of this whole thing is I am reading Lucifer's Hammer.  Good book, by the way.

I really enjoyed that book too!

[Regolith]

I'm thinking about going camping somewhere in Eastern Oregon next week so I can get away from the clouds. I don't know how far I'd going to have to drive, though...seems like every time something like this comes through there are clouds. :(

The trick is to keep your exposure down below 30 seconds duration, so that you don't get star tracks.

Sometimes that's a Good Thing^TM.



That was six 5 minute exposures at ISO400 with a f/5.6 aperture. 

Also, one thing I've found with the Cannon Rebel T1i I use is that the mirror movement will cause a slight jarring that will show up on the image as a small "hook" at the end of a star trail. If your images start showing this then you'll need to enable the mirror lockup feature, if your camera has one.

[Tallpine]

The comet is a fail if it doesn't hit DC 

[vaskidmark]

The comet is a fail if it doesn't hit DC 

It does not need to hit DC - merely have the tail pass across it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn1oIVn92fY

stay safe.

[Brad Johnson]

Interplanet Janet,
She's a galaxy girllll....

Brad

[230RN]

http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/timeline-of-comet-ison-s-dangerous-journey/

"December 2013 - January 2014:  If Comet ISON survives its trip around the sun, there’s a good chance that it will be incredibly bright and easily visible with the naked eye in the Northern Hemisphere. In early December, it will be seen in the morning, low on the horizon to the east-southeast. In late December and early January, it will be visible all night long."
 
"December 26, 2013: Closest approach to Earth will be approximately 40 million miles."

Heh.  Can't help thinking "Star of Bethlehem."  What are you thinking?

I know, I know.... but it kinda jumps out at ya, don't it?

Terry

[Gewehr98]

Figured I'd play with the camera on tripod tonight, since it's a calm 25 degrees outside, no clouds, and no moon.

Perfect weather to try and capture the Milky Way again.

So, I set the D300 to 20 seconds exposure, 50mm f1.8 lens focused at infinity, ISO 1600, and let 'er rip.

Friggin' airliners! You can see the oscillation I set in motion with the shutter button, look at the nav lights on the right side.   

[AmbulanceDriver]

Gonna try to see if I can go try to spot ISON tomorrow morning....   

[RoadKingLarry]

Since I'm up at that time of day 5 mornings out of 7 I'm hoping to get to see the thing. It's been cloudy in the mornings for over a week now though.

[AmbulanceDriver]

Well, I got out to east county to try to get away from the light pollution...  But apparently was out there a touch too late.   Gonna have to try again.

[230RN]

Gewehr98

Cover/shield your lens, open the shutter (Bulb or Time), take/time your exposure, cover/shield the lens, close the shutter.

That shutter/mirror bounce used to drive me nuts when I was doing a lot of macro photography with full lighting.  I finally tapped a 4 or 5 lb steel plate 1/4-20 to mount on the tripod, with a 1/4" clearance hole for a winged 1/4-20 bolt through it to hold the camera.

The extra mass helped a lot.  Probably no longer necessary with digitals.  Don't know for sure.

[Regolith]

Gewehr98

Cover/shield your lens, open the shutter (Bulb or Time), take/time your exposure, cover/shield the lens, close the shutter.

That shutter/mirror bounce used to drive me nuts when I was doing a lot of macro photography with full lighting.  I finally tapped a 4 or 5 lb steel plate 1/4-20 to mount on the tripod, with a 1/4" clearance hole for a winged 1/4-20 bolt through it to hold the camera.

The extra mass helped a lot.  Probably no longer necessary with digitals.  Don't know for sure.

Like I said, look for the mirror lockup feature. Don't know if Nikons have them, but Canons do.

[Gewehr98]

Yeah, I've got plenty of options.

I'll probably go fixed-focus Live View, which locks the mirror up, and use the remote shutter release.

I have a cinder block I can hang from the tripod with a bungee cord, too.