Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE)

[Chris]

This is one of the frames I used for my time lapse - 6 Seconds at ISO3200 with a Sony A7 mk1 and kit lens at 70mm f5.6

[Corncrake]

5 hours ago, Tenor Viol said:

One challenge - I need a better way of stacking than using PS. Anyone got options for a Mac? 

Siril perhaps ?  https://www.siril.org/   I have not used it and I have no idea about Mac, but it has a download for

From their site

Quote

macOS ( > 10.9).

macOS Homebrew

Siril can be installed through Homebrew:

$ brew install siril

 

 

It was based on being a Linux version of IRIS (which I have used and was very good)

Edited July 13, 2020 by Corncrake

[dd999]

23 hours ago, John said:

About the same here.

Lovely again tonight. Tried this self portrait with comet but it came out rather spooky

 

I see a little silhoutetto of a man, scaramouche.......

[Pixies]

Lovely clear night in Edinburgh and I can see it in bins, but not quite naked eye.

About to head out with the camera

[Pixies]

And got it!

I was about to go out when I realised that I could see it from the back garden! However, some telephone lines intersected the tail, so not very suitable. My son came out and as I tried to point out the location so that he could try the binoculars, he said "I can see it"! So his eyes were a lot better than mine!

Then I went back down to the beach with the camera and tripod to take some pics. I got a few that I was happy with and by the time I had finished (12:30 am) I could easily see it with the naked eye. So I thought I'd try using my 10x60 RACI finderscope on a tripod. I went back out and it looked great in the finder - but I just couldn't get a phone camera snap, so just enjoyed the view. Before I went back in I could see Cassiopeia, so I pointed the scope in the usual place and found M31 immediately. I was surprised as the sky was so light, perhaps the viewing tonight is particularly good.

So back home and out to the garden where the 8" Bresser doc was cooling. Not many clear nights recently, so I wasn't going to miss any chance.  Aligned and tested the new Telrad on my normal starting point - M57. Got there immediately and surprised just how clear everything was. It's only just got back to Nautical darkness here - another 2 weeks or so before proper astronomical darkness, so it really did look like it was good viewing tonight. I used the bins to check M13 and wow - it was really clear! I swung the scope to it and what a sight! I'm sure I could see the 'propeller'! In an 8" dob in July in Edinburgh?

i thought this was going to be the night of all nights, but when I looked up i noticed that Arcturus had vanished. The clouds rolled in at 01:30. 😢

 

Anyway, here's my best pic of Neowise (mucked about in UFRaw):

Edited July 14, 2020 by Pixies

[Roy Challen]

15 hours ago, John said:

Wish they would not use the headline "streaking across".

Non-astronomers will think that they have to dash outside and watch it fly over

They do qualify that in the article itself but many folks might not get past the headline and the pic.

The Independent called it "blazing".

[verreli]

Got an unexpected clear night last night.  Neo is now an easy naked eye object.  The tail seems to be getting longer and the ion tail is separating from the dust tail.  Too bright this far north for any resolution in my images though.  Saturday night is also looking good if it can maintain its magnitude and it should be a bit darker for extra contrast.  Happy days.

 

[Steve2012]

Hi everyone

I'm still waiting to glimpse the comet but all your photos and notes on what you have seen have been great to read some absolutely cracking shots folks

And funny one self portrait man fab well done everyone who has seen her I am sure my time will come

Steve

Edited July 14, 2020 by Steve2012
Mispelt word

[miguel87]

Still yet to catch this beauty. My partner and I are shacked up on a mini break in the wye valley and I have scoped out a nice spot with a good northern horizon. Hoping to catch it tonight. I havent got a telescope with me as we travelled light but do have a DSLR, tripod and 10x50's

 

🤞

Edited July 15, 2020 by miguel87

[Cjg]

I'd hoped to film the comet Neowise from Castle Acre Priory here in Norfolk, and whilst it might work out in a week or two, the sloping ground and water filled ditches made it almost impossible on the weekend.

So returned home and caught the comet next to Wymondham Abbey, a 10 minute walk away!

Wym-Abbey-and-Neowise-resized

[andrew63]

Caught some glimpses around 11, tail still naked eye and a great sight in 10x50s - close to two stars in  lynx.

andrew

[John]

Surprise break in the clouds here allowed some quick shots and a view with 8x56 binoculars. Still looking lovely !

[John]

Another from just now. Slight trailing at 10 secs, ISO 1600, 150mm FL:

[dd999]

Nice shots John.

The rolling conveyor belt of clouds are on the high churn rate in my area until Friday evening, when I'm hoping to get back out again. 

Good to see it seems still as visible - hopefully the mag holds out for another week or more

[Dippy]

7 hours ago, John said:

Another from just now. Slight trailing at 10 secs, ISO 1600, 150mm FL:

Your photo truly is from today! I can see the 5th magnitude star 26 Lynx (the brighter of the two) to the right of comet. Would you mind John to ask what camera you are using?

[John]

2 hours ago, Dippy said:

Your photo truly is from today! I can see the 5th magnitude star 26 Lynx (the brighter of the two) to the right of comet. Would you mind John to ask what camera you are using?

A Pentax K-r DSLR. It's not a camera that is commonly used for astro photography - I bought it so that I could use my old Pentax K fit lenses etc from my old 35mm days.

[miguel87]

1 hour ago, John said:

A Pentax K-r DSLR. It's not a camera that is commonly used for astro photography - I bought it so that I could use my old Pentax K fit lenses etc from my old 35mm days.

I have exactly the same camera! Again, not purchased for astrophotography but I have been suprised at how capable it is. I only have the stock lens tho so widefield images only unless I have it attached to the telescope.

 

Tonight's forecast is excellent here so pretty confident I should get something.

Nice photos.

Edited July 16, 2020 by miguel87

[John]

Rather frustrating amounts of clouds about in the wrong places tonight. Just a quick comet pic using the hedge to block a streetlight:

 

[niallk]

Got my first look - wow obvious naked eye

S8 + 130P unedited:

[Corncrake]

The evening started off with a nice clear sky but I had to wait considerably longer for it to pop out of the twilight than when I last saw it (last Sun 16Jly) Rather sad really, prepare to say bybye NEOWISE was nice knowing you.

Nice pic @John, the star to the right and half way to the top is 27Lynx, listed as m4.75 in Stellarium ! And my estimate an hour ago was only an optimistic m3

Then it clouded over and I came home !

 

 

Edited July 16, 2020 by Corncrake

[miguel87]

Just a quick phone photo of a single shot on my DSLR screen. Beautifully clear here. Great night 😀

[Dippy]

3 hours ago, John said:

Rather frustrating amounts of clouds about in the wrong places tonight. Just a quick comet pic using the hedge to block a streetlight:

 

John, It is clear the comet has moved since your image last night. The star 26 Lynx is now farther to the lower right and the NEOWISE has moved higher in altitude towards the Ursa Major. It will move so until 23 July after which it will lose latitude until in August when you don’t need to stay awake this late to photograph because it will be an evening object, although fainter than now.

Edited July 17, 2020 by Dippy

[Dippy]

2 hours ago, miguel87 said:

Just a quick phone photo of a single shot on my DSLR screen. Beautifully clear here. Great night 😀

Your photo and that of the John beautifully complement each other regarding star positions for astrometry. Well done.

[andrew63]

A magnificent night here! Comet Neowise still an easy naked eye object with the tail still showing well in a darker sky. Had my first view in the ST80 at x16 and the nucleus was breathtakingly intense - very beautiful. Looking wonderful in 10x50s, also took some photos.  Another memorable night.

Andrew

 

 

 

Edited July 17, 2020 by andrew63
photo

[Ouroboros]

When is NEOWISE expected to peak in brightness, or has it already done so?  Wall to wall cloud here for the last two nights.