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How to track comets?


Nova2000

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Hi

I was wondering how do you track comets while taking pictures of them?  Heard a comet is getting brighter now (46p wirtanen). 

Got a autoguider, PhD and all. 

And which software is to be used to goto the comet? Cartes du ciel? Or something else? 

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I'm no expert, but two things spring to mind.

DeepSkyStacker has a "comet" option, which enables you to end up with a picture where neither the comet nor the background stars trail.

If you want the comet tracked, but the background stars trailed, could you use the comet as your "guidestar"?

As regards goto: my mount is controlled by EQMOD/CdC (both free), so I can just click on the comet in CdC & press slew.

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What are you normally using to slew to an object?

The procedure I use will only work if you are using EQMOD to pass control commands from the laptop to the mount. If you are using some other method (eg handset) then it will not work.

So, if you have EQMOD installed, in CdC (once the connection has been established) select the object on the map and then use menu option Telescope|Slew.

If you don't have EQMOD installed, you could use CdC to get the coordinates of the comet and then enter them into whatever device you are using (eg handset).

But, if you are using a laptop anyway for PHD2, etc, then EQMOD really does make life simple. There are a whole string of videos on youtube explaining what it does and how to use it.

HTH

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7 hours ago, Nova2000 said:

ive not used cartes du ciel to slew . so basically after alignment i just open cartes du ciel and select the comet and slew to it or do i need to do some adjustments in ep mod?

 

thank you 

 

You can practice using the EQMOD simulator.  This will save you time when you use it for real.

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I captured this comet last year by setting my celestron 80mm guidescope on the comet itself having first used a bright star to align the scope and gude scope.

The only issue I had was that the comet went in front of a large bright star and PHD2 took the star as being the guide lol. Be aware ;)

As a sub note. Don't forget, like I did, to process the images before stacking as a GIF ...That way one can remove the green noise :)

 

Good luck :thumbsup:

Dave.

41P TuttleGiacobiniKresak.gif

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The "update" feature in Cartes du Ciel worked brilliantly for locating Comet 21/Gio.

I wouldn't worry about guiding on the comet itself at first.  It isn't moving very fast through the sky.  You can get perfectly good images with 3-5 minute exposures - depending on focal length etc.

 

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