Comets

Comets are massive balls of ice, dust, and rocky material that have elongated orbits around the sun that may take millions of years to complete. As they approach the sun, solar radiation causes gases to blast from the surface. This effect forms the signature tail that is associated with them. Photographing faint comets can be tricky due to the dual apparent motion of the starfield and comet across the night sky.

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Images

This companion image to the Devil's Diamond zooms on the comet itself.

Devil's Own

This companion image to the Devil's Diamond zooms on the comet itself.

2024-03-31

The Devil's Comet earned its nickname due to cryovolcanic activity. Explosions of gases have been observed and one image gave it a distinct horned aspect. Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is periodic, with an orbit every 71 years, making it a Halley-type comet. This year it was especially bright. I only had a few hours to image it after dusk, so I used a fast HyperStar system from the deck of some friends with an ocean view to avoid obstructions on the horizon. The comet is known for having an amazingly long and intricately detailed tail. It is in close proximity to bright star Hamal that glows like a diamond, hence: the Devil's diamond.

The Devil's Diamond

The Devil's Comet earned its nickname due to cryovolcanic activity. Explosions of gases have been observed and one image gave it a distinct horned aspect. Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is periodic, with an orbit every 71 years, making it a Halley-type comet. This year it was especially bright. I only had a few hours to image it after dusk, so I used a fast HyperStar system from the deck of some friends with an ocean view to avoid obstructions on the horizon. The comet is known for having an amazingly long and intricately detailed tail. It is in close proximity to bright star Hamal that glows like a diamond, hence: the Devil's diamond.

2024-03-31

Nominated for top pick at AstroBin. On Saturday, March 16th, I experienced an amazing moment as the comet 12P/Pons-Brooks threaded the needle between M33: the Triangulum galaxy and M31: the Andromeda galaxy. As the trio descended slowly towards the Pacific Ocean, the International Space Station (ISS) flew overhead. M45: the Pleiades dangles like a diamond necklace above the brilliant disc of the planet Jupiter. This 20mm shot captured the scene at exactly 9:03pm. At the bottom, you can see the sand of Agate Beach in Newport, Oregon, USA as it stretches to the water. In the distance, a boat shines with a red glow and the lighthouse casts the beam of its beacon through a lower-lying layer of fog. I used a set of 20mm exposures to frame the scene and stacked 10 50mm photographs of the comet and galaxies to boost the resolution.

The Galactic Menagerie of Comets, Galaxies and Things

Nominated for top pick at AstroBin. On Saturday, March 16th, I experienced an amazing moment as the comet 12P/Pons-Brooks threaded the needle between M33: the Triangulum galaxy and M31: the Andromeda galaxy. As the trio descended slowly towards the Pacific Ocean, the International Space Station (ISS) flew overhead. M45: the Pleiades dangles like a diamond necklace above the brilliant disc of the planet Jupiter. This 20mm shot captured the scene at exactly 9:03pm. At the bottom, you can see the sand of Agate Beach in Newport, Oregon, USA as it stretches to the water. In the distance, a boat shines with a red glow and the lighthouse casts the beam of its beacon through a lower-lying layer of fog. I used a set of 20mm exposures to frame the scene and stacked 10 50mm photographs of the comet and galaxies to boost the resolution.

2024-03-18

The periodic comet 12P/Pons-Brooks appears in the sky between the M33: Triangulum and M31: Andromeda galaxies.

Thread the Needle

The periodic comet 12P/Pons-Brooks appears in the sky between the M33: Triangulum and M31: Andromeda galaxies.

2024-03-18

My last chance to see the green comet before it flies away on its 50,000-year orbit was last night. Fortunately, a break in the clouds gave me the chance to capture it in the same field of view as Mars. Here are C/2022 E3 (ZTF) and Mars.

The Green Comet meets the Red Wanderer

My last chance to see the green comet before it flies away on its 50,000-year orbit was last night. Fortunately, a break in the clouds gave me the chance to capture it in the same field of view as Mars. Here are C/2022 E3 (ZTF) and Mars.

2023-02-11

With my camera mounted on a Sky Watcher Star Adventurer Mini (S.A.M.) I set up an astrophotography time lapse. This will track for the duration of the exposure, then return to the starting point. I used it for a comet video, then ran my 'Startrails Magic' PixInsight script to create this image. I brightened the comet to make it easier to spot. It is distinctively green an, unlike stars that stay on perfect tracks, the comet crosses over and appears to arc towards Polaris.

Comet Trails

With my camera mounted on a Sky Watcher Star Adventurer Mini (S.A.M.) I set up an astrophotography time lapse. This will track for the duration of the exposure, then return to the starting point. I used it for a comet video, then ran my 'Startrails Magic' PixInsight script to create this image. I brightened the comet to make it easier to spot. It is distinctively green an, unlike stars that stay on perfect tracks, the comet crosses over and appears to arc towards Polaris.

2023-01-29

The essence of the green comet.

The Comet in Green

The essence of the green comet.

2023-01-28

Another pass at this beautiful comet.

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF)

Another pass at this beautiful comet.

2023-01-28

It's been gone for 50,000 years, but it's back. And it's green. Really green. C/2022 E3 (ZTF).

The Big Green Comet Wide Field View

It's been gone for 50,000 years, but it's back. And it's green. Really green. C/2022 E3 (ZTF).

2023-01-20

It's been gone for 50,000 years, but it's back. And it's green. Really green. C/2022 E3 (ZTF).

The Big Green Comet Close View

It's been gone for 50,000 years, but it's back. And it's green. Really green. C/2022 E3 (ZTF).

2023-01-20

C/2017 K2 (PanSTARR) is a comet discovered around five years ago. It is notable for the amount of activity it exhibited despite being so far from the sun. It is at its brightest from Earth this week at a distance of 'just' 270 million kilometers. When it reaches its closest distance to the sun (perihelion) it will be closer to Mars and less visible. This image shows the superimposed core arcing across the sky for about 30 minutes.

C/2017 K2 PanSTARR Timelapse

C/2017 K2 (PanSTARR) is a comet discovered around five years ago. It is notable for the amount of activity it exhibited despite being so far from the sun. It is at its brightest from Earth this week at a distance of 'just' 270 million kilometers. When it reaches its closest distance to the sun (perihelion) it will be closer to Mars and less visible. This image shows the superimposed core arcing across the sky for about 30 minutes.

2022-07-11

C/2017 K2 (PanSTARR) is a comet discovered around five years ago. It is notable for the amount of activity it exhibited despite being so far from the sun. This image is a single core from 3 2-minute exposures with the background stars fixed.

C/2017 K2 PanSTARR Single Core

C/2017 K2 (PanSTARR) is a comet discovered around five years ago. It is notable for the amount of activity it exhibited despite being so far from the sun. This image is a single core from 3 2-minute exposures with the background stars fixed.

2022-07-08

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Blog Posts

Do you have the same issue that I did? Despite doing things like splitting out stars to align separately, you always end up with star streaks. I finally figured out the simple, single step to do between star alignment and comet alignment that makes all the difference and produces streak-free comets for me every time (without having to split the lights). This post walks through the full end-to-end of processing comets in PixInsight.
How do I stack comets in PixInsight?
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Videos

On March 16th, 2024. I headed to Agate Beach with my wife on a mission: to capture a comet as it threaded the needled between two galaxies as it set over the ocean by a lighthouse. Oh, and the International Space Station. See how I planned it, the gear I used, my set up, and what it ultimately produced.

Comet chasing: 12P/Pons-Brooks (2024) from Newport Oregon

On March 16th, 2024. I headed to Agate Beach with my wife on a mission: to capture a comet as it threaded the needled between two galaxies as it set over the ocean by a lighthouse. Oh, and the International Space Station. See how I planned it, the gear I used, my set up, and what it ultimately produced.

2024-03-20 00:00:00 +0000

Do you have the same issue that I did? Despite doing things like splitting out stars to align separately, you always end up with star streaks. I finally figured out the simple, single step to do between star alignment and comet alignment that makes all the difference and produces streak-free comets for me every time (without having to split the lights). This video walks through the full end-to-end of processing comets in PixInsight.

How to Process a Comet in PixInsight

Do you have the same issue that I did? Despite doing things like splitting out stars to align separately, you always end up with star streaks. I finally figured out the simple, single step to do between star alignment and comet alignment that makes all the difference and produces streak-free comets for me every time (without having to split the lights). This video walks through the full end-to-end of processing comets in PixInsight.

2023-02-02 00:00:00 +0000

Footage from my imaging sessions with comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) using a 336mm and a 1645mm scope. Live observations of a green comet that was last seen 50,000 years ago: Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF).

Live observations of green comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF)

Footage from my imaging sessions with comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) using a 336mm and a 1645mm scope. Live observations of a green comet that was last seen 50,000 years ago: Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF).

2023-01-22 00:00:00 +0000

Timelapse of night sky including footage of 50,000-year green comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF).

Night of the Comet

Timelapse of night sky including footage of 50,000-year green comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF).

2023-01-30 00:00:00 +0000

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