Close Approach

Comet 103P/ Hartley 2 is making its close approach to Earth this week. Here are two images of the comet as it appeared last night from Kitt Peak. The first image is a sum of 43 two minute exposures aligned to the star field showing the comets apparent motion during the nearly one and a half hours of exposure. The second image is a sum of the same images aligned on the comet. The dust tail is barely visible in the later as we look directly at the comet head-on.

Images acquired using a Takahashi E160 astrograph and a Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera. Steward Observatory's Bok 2.3 Meter Telescope was used as a guide scope for the camera system. The diagonal streak of light was produced by a passing earth orbiting satellite that crossed the field during the last 2 minute exposure.

Comet Cluster

Comet 103P/Hartley 2 is passing very close to Earth this month (only 11 million miles!) and last night presented a nice photo-op as it posed with NGC 869 - the double cluster in Perseus. Below is my portrait of the threesome taken from my backyard using a Takahashi E160 astrograph telescope and a Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera. Total exposure time was 20 minutes through a broadband LPR filter.



This image was featured on SpaceWeather.com for 10.9.2010

C/2009 R1 McNaught

This morning I attempted to image comet C/2009 R1 Mcnaught. The comet was extremely low in the northeast sky just prior to morning twilight - only 10 degrees above my light polluted horizon. The image below is a sum of 22, 60 second exposures through a Takahashi Epsilon 160 astrograph using my Canon 5D mark II.



The image below was made from 56, 45 second exposures using the same equipment as above - just prior to astronomical twilight with the comet between 15 and 19 degrees above the horizon.