McNaught Comet, SoCal edition

[Nikolai Sklobovsky]

We have this rare space visitor, I thought I'd take a few snaps.

This beauty is only visible over a short period time in twilight/dusk (soon after sunset, right before sunrise). If sun is visible, she's too weak to be noticed, and if sun is way below the horizon, she goes with it.:-(

Anyway, here's what I got tonight:

Few more shots are here: http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/2349848

I must say, this shoot was probably the coldest one I expereince in this area (44F=6.7C, and windy) - what's wrong with this place?

Enjoy!

 

[ravindar bindra]

Great capture, but the size of the subtitle is distracting.

I guess northern Europe has your warm weather - we have 10C at night when typically it should be negative.

 

[Joel Slack]

Wow! I'm incredibly jealous. I never saw it once, we've had cloud issues. The first night I heard about it I went tearing out with my 100-400, but no luck. Great sequence!

 

[Nikolai Sklobovsky]

Ravindar,

Great capture, but the size of the subtitle is distracting.

Thanks for commenting!
What I didn't get in size/contrast of the primary target I decided to compensate in type;-)

I guess northern Europe has your warm weather - we have 10C at night when typically it should be negative.

Not only Europe. My folks in Russia (70 miles S-W from Moscow) tell me that they still don't get the snow, while a regular pattern is to have snow as easrly as November (or even earlier sometimes).

Cheers!

 

[Nikolai Sklobovsky]

Joel,

Wow! I'm incredibly jealous. I never saw it once, we've had cloud issues. The first night I heard about it I went tearing out with my 100-400, but no luck. Great sequence!

Thanks!
This is my first time ever seeing the real comet, too.
And I even was lucky enough to have my camera with me (yeah, whom am I kidding? First, I always have my camera with me, second - I went out specifically for that beauty
This was also probably a first time when I used a lot of gear and techniques at the same time:

• Canon 30D + 100-400 (I just love this lens+ TC 1.4
• tripod + head + QR bracket on the lens collar
• (wired) remote trigger
• exposure compensation
• mirror lockup
• and even my brand new dual-axis level to make sure the horizon is OK

 

[Joel Slack]

Did you stack those images? When you say QR, is that quick release or something I don't know about? I hear you about being ready, my gear is always in the car (in the carport in back of the house). I guess now that I've made that confession, it's a good thing we don't post our addresses here...

It's nice when everything comes together!

 

[Nikolai Sklobovsky]

Joel,

Did you stack those images?

Yessir! It was a bit tricky since the light was falling off fast, but I managed

When you say QR, is that quick release or something I don't know about?

Yes again

I hear you about being ready, my gear is always in the car (in the carport in back of the house). I guess now that I've made that confession, it's a good thing we don't post our addresses here...

It's nice when everything comes together!

Well, I do keep my gear in my car when I'm in it, but for any prolonged period of time I take it out and carry it with me (which is in 99% either work or home).
Not only leaving it in the car makes it prone to a theft, but it can get very hot here sometimes, I don't want to expose this delicate stuff to an extreme heat on a regular basis...

Cheers!