An image of Comet Garrad generated from 40×180 sec @ ISO 1600 sub-exposures.  These were taken with a TV-85 at F/5.6 and a Canon T3 DSLR camera.

 NASA liked this image.  It’s being used in an article about possible meteors from Hartley. Check it out:

Comet Hartley 2 and the Perseus Double Cluster on Oct 8th, 2010, 11:00 UT. North is down.

Televue TV-85 at F/5.6 w/0.8x FR/FF
Hutech Canon XS w/IDAS-LPS-V2 drop-in
Atlas EQ-G w/EQMOD
Orion Starshoot Autoguider w/PHD Guiding.
60×60 sec @ ISO 1600
147×120 sec @ ISO 1600.

Calibration and processing with IRIS. Post-processing with PS, Noel Carboni’s Astronomy Tools, Graident XTerminator and Neat Image.

On the night of October 1st/2nd, 2010, Comet Hartley 2 made a close approach to the Pacman Nebula. I was fortunate to have great weather and devoted my whole night to imaging the get together.

Technical: 286 minutes of exposure (44×60 sec, 34×120 sec & 58×180 sec @ ISO 1600,) TV-85 at F/5.6, IDAS-LPS, Hutech Canon XS. (This image was also used in an online article at Sky and Telescope’s website, which is here: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/comets/102632669.html )

Comet Hartley 2 on September 15, 2010.  Taken with a Meade 8″ F/4 Schmidt-Newtonian.  38 x 3 minute exposures combined and stacked.

Comet Holmes on Dec 17, 2007 taken with the TV-85.

Comet Hale-Bopp in April 1997. This image was taken with a piggy-backed Nikon FE2 film camera and Kodak Royal Gold 1000 film and a Nikor 300mm F/4 lens. Exposure was about 10 minutes.

I have a quite a few images from back then.  A few more are below:

Probably the biggest comet I’ve ever seen, Comet Hykutake in 1996 was truly something extraordinary.  I remember being at a rest stop that was being constructed on I-49, north of Opelousas, LA.   It was a perfect place since it was so dark.  But, a few people would drive in and pass by me.  A couple cars stopped and asked what I was seeing.  I told one group to get out the car and look up.   Hyakutake stretched half-way across the sky – a huge comet with a tremendous tail.   It was breathtaking from a dark sky location.   They were dumbstruck after seeing it, not realizing that a magnificent comet was right over their heads and they never noticed it.

Here’s a few more images:

Continue reading Comet Hyakutake, March 23, 1996 →