A Comet in the Clouds

Comet Panstarrs in the Clouds
Comet Panstarrs – 1×1 sec @ ISO 1600, Canon 200mm F/2.8

It was predicted to be clear on March 20, 2013 when I took the above picture.   However,  a low bank of clouds moved in at the last moment and messed up my plans to shoot Comet Pan-STARRS with the Canon 200mm F/2.8 telephoto lens for a wide-angle view.   The mount wasn’t tracking very well, either and I wasted quite a few shots because of that issue.    So, the only good image of the comet came through a crack in the clouds.

While there was still lots of twilight, I got this shot, too:

Comet Pan-STARRS, March 20, 2013
Comet Pan-STARRS, March 20, 2013

At least I didn’t scratch.  lol.   Since the mount was giving me trouble, I worked on it and then tested it to see if it was fixed.   Here’s a 15 second exposure of the Pleiades through the trees that I did.  Thirty seconds showed a little trailing, but this 15-second shot did not show much, if any, trailing:

M45, The Pleiades.  1x15 sec @ ISO 1600, Canon 200mm F/2.8.
M45, The Pleiades. 1×15 sec @ ISO 1600, Canon 200mm F/2.8.

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