Most Recent at the Top Spanning 1974 to the Present
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2021 Images:
Comet Leonard A1 with the 10 inch 12/4/21
Comet Leonard A1 now in Evening sky! 12/19/21
Comet CG with ray tail 12/4/21
Comet Leonard A1 and M3 in same field 12/3/21
Comet Leonard A1 in the Morning at 3am 10/30/21
Comet SW1 10/30/21 in major outburst!
Comet CG 10/30/21 superb band like tail
Comet Leonard A1 in the Morning at 4am 11/11/21 Comet CG with very unusual Anti-Tail 11/13/21
Comet Leonard A1 final shot this lunation 11/13/21
Comet Faye in the morning sky 10/11/21
Comet CG and M35 with Stellarvue SV80 10/16/21
Comet CG and M35 close pass this morning! 10/16/21
This mornings view of the comet SW1 in outburst! 10/11/21
Comet CG in Taurus in the morning sky 10/11/21
Comet Panstarrs PV6 in Hercules 8/26/21
Comet CG 67p from Payson 9/11/21
Comet Palomar T2 and M3 5/15/21
Comet Atlas R4 in Coma Ber 5/7/21
Comet Atlas M3 next to Capella 1/1/21
Comet 156p passes M33 Galaxy! 1/9/21
2020 Images:
Comet Atlas Y4 very near Rho Uma 3/21/20
Comet Panstarrs T2 Passes Double Cluster 01/25/20
Comet Atlas Y4 More tail forming 4/14/20
Comet Atlas Y4 Starting to fade and break apart 4/9/20
Comet Atlas Y4 brightens in the far North 3/29/20
Comet Atlas Y4 a faint tail develops 4/18/20
Comet Atlas Y4 deeper shot for 1h 4/21/20
Comet Atlas Y1 Near the NCP 5/8/20
Comet Swan F8 First morning shot 5/13/20
Comet Panstarrs T2 with 10 inch 5/24/20
Comet Panstarrs T2 with galaxies M81/82 5/24/20
Comet Panstarrs T2 with 10 inch 5/24/20
Comet Panstarrs T2 with 10 inch and ZWO 6/6/20
Comet Panstarrs T2 in a field of galaxies 6/13/20
Comet Panstarrs T2 Still an inspiring object 6/27/20
Comet Neowise F3 at zero magnitude in AM 7/3/20
Comet Neowise F3 rising over Mogollon Rim 7/4/20
Comet Neowise F3 first shot of comet with ES AR152 looks good. 7/5/20
Comet Neowise F3 Backing off on Focal L 7/7/20
2019 Images:
Comet Neowise F3 July 8, 2020 Fan tail developing!
Comet Neowise F3 July 8, 2020 Rising Sequence
Comet Neowise F3 7/11/20 first spectra!!
Comet Neowise F3 7/12/20 Best gas tail yet!
Comet Neowise F3 Now best seen in evening sky 7/17/20
Comet Neowise F3 July 28, 2020 first time with 10 inch!
Comet Altas M6 in Orion Approaching Bellatrix 11/14/20
Comet Altas M6 in Orion 11/10/20
Comet Erasmus Super low in Am sky 11/28/20
Comet Atlas M3 12/6/20
2018 Images:
Comet Africano with 10 inch 9/21/19
Comet Iwamoto with 10 inch in Auriga 2/23/19
Comet Iwamoto 2/23/19
Asteroid Gault is displaying cometary activity! 1/12/19
Comet 60P Tsushishan 2 in the morning sky 1/12/19
Comet Panstarrs R2 3/4/18
Comet Panstarrs R2 2/11/18
Comet Panstarrs R2 1/17/18
Comet Panstarrs R2 Amazing Tail! 1/12/18
Comet Panstarrs R2 2/7/18
Comet Panstarrs R2 2/3/18
Comet Wirtanen 10 inch again! 12/29/18
Comet 64P/Swift Gehrels December 29, 2018
Comet Wirtanen both widefield and SV80s 12/24/18
Comet Wirtanen Widefield with Full moon rising 12//22/18
Comet Wirtanen Widefield shot of M45 & Haydes 12/12/18
Comet Wirtanen 12/12/18
Comet Wirtanen with new 150mm sigma lens 12/8/18
Comet Wirtanen 12/8/18
Comet Panstarrs R2 and Gamma Tauri 1/5/18
2017 Images:
Comet Wirtanen 12/3/18
Comet Wirtanen in Fornax 11/29/18
Comet C/2018 V1 in Virgo 11/19/18
Comet Swift-Gehrels 11/09/18
Comet Wirtanen in Fornax 11/09/18
Comet GZ in Orion 10/20/18
Comet Stephan/Oterma in Orion 10/20/18
Comet GZ over M35 in Gemini 9/15/18
Comet GZ from Payson 9/7/18
Comet GZ from Payson 9/1/18
Comet Panstarrs R2 in Taurus 12/21/17
Comet Echiclus in Aries 12/15/17
Comet Panstarrs V1 in Aries 10/21/17
Comet Asassin C/2017 O1 in Perseus 10/14/17
Comet Johnson V2 - a few days after perihelion 6/15/17
Comet 71p / Clark near Antares 6/15/17
Comet Johnson V2 in Bootes at orbital plane crossing. 6/1/17
Comet Johnson V2 with 10" in Bootes at 7th magnitude 5/26/17
Comet Johnson V2 with Stellarvue 5/20/17
Comet Johnson V2 with 10" in Bootes at 7th mag. 5/13/17
Comet 41P in Lyra 4/29/17
Comet 45P now in evening sky in Leo Exceedingly dim! 4/29/17
Comet Johnson V2 with 10" - in Hercules 4/20/17
Comet 41P at perihelion 4/13/17
Comet Lovejoy E4 4/8/17 with Full Moon
Comet Johnson V2 with 10" - 2 hours exposure 4/2/17
2016 Images:
Comet 41P with the Six inch f/3.6 Cometracker 4/2/17
Comet 41P inside the Bowl of the Dipper 3/24/17
Comet 41P inside the Bowl of the Dipper 3/24/17
Comet 45P now in evening sky in Leo 3/19/17
Comet 41P in the Evening sky in Leo 3/14/17
Comet 45P now in evening sky in Leo 3/1/17
Comet 41P in the Evening sky in Leo 3/1/17
Comet 45P in Morning sky 2/16/17
Comet 45P in Morning sky 2/16/17
Comet 45P in Morning sky 2/8/17
Comet Johnson V2 with 12.5" - 2 hours exposure 1/30/17
Comet Johnson V2 with 12.5" - 2 hours exposure 1/30/17
Comet 93P Lovas 1 12/17/16
C/2011 KP36 Spacewatch 12/17/16
Comet 2P Encke 12/17/16
C/2015 VL62 Lemmon-Yeung-Panstarrs 12/17/16
Comet Johnson 12/9/16
Comet Spacewatch KT36 10/20/16
Comet Encke 10/6/16
Comet SW-1 9/3/16
Comet Wild 4 - 116P Nice dust fan! 5/29/16
Comet Linear 252 heads out 5/29/16
Comet Panstarrs S2 5/4/16
Comet CG in Leo 4/3/16
2015 Images:
Comet Tempel 1 / 9P hordes of backgnd galaxies 4/2/16
Comet Linear 252P 4/2/16
Comet Catalina US10 3/26/16
Comet Catalina US10 3/10/16
Comet CG in Leo 2/14/16
Comet Catalina US10 First comet with newly refurbished 6" f/3.6 1/12/16
Comet Catalina US10 1/12/16
Comet Catalina US10 and The Pinwheel Galaxy 1/16/16
Comet Catalina US10 1/12/16
Comet Catalina US10 and Arcturus 1/1/16
Comet Catalina US10 12/30/15
Comet Catalina US10 12/18/15
Comet Catalina US10 12/6/15
Comet Catalina US10 in the morning sky December 2, 2015
Comet Catalina US10 11/22/15
Comet CG in Leo 11/20/15
Comet Panstarrs X1 in Perseus 11/8/15
Comet Jaques F4 in Cygnus 11/8/15
Comet C/2014 S2 Panstarrs 11/8/15
Venus AT inf conjunction 8/15/15
Comet Jacques 2015 F4 7/22/15
Comet Jacques 2015 F4 7/22/15
Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy In Draco 7/22/15
Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy In Tri/And 2/11/15
Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy In Tri/And 2/7/15
Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy In Tri/And 2/6/15
Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy In Taurus 1/24/15
Comet 15p Finlay in Pisces 1/24/15
Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy In Orion Milkyway 1/18/15 2014 Images
Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy In Orion Milkyway 1/14/15 Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy 3 pane panorama 1/7/15 Comet Jacques 2014 E2 9/14/15
Comet Catalina US10 12/31/15
Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy with M79 12/28/14
Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy with M79 12/28/14
Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy Two part panarama 12/27/14
Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy 12/23/14
Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy 12/22/14
Comet C/2014 Q3 Borisov 11/28/14
Comet Panstarrs K1 9/29/14
Comet Siding Springs 9/28/14
Comet Holmes 9/3/14
Comet O 9/3/14
Comet Jacques 2014 E2 over IC1396 8/30/14
Comet Jacques 2014 E2 8/29/14 Here with DSLR
Comet Jacques 2014 E2 8/26/14
Comet Jacques 2014 E2 8/17/14
Comet Holmes 8/8/14
Comet O 8/8/14
Comet Jacques 2014 E2 8/6/14
Comet Cataline UQ4 7/18/14
6/28/14 6/28/14 Comet SW1 in Scorpius 6/14/14
Comet Lovejoy R1 Still around! 5/31/14
Comet Panstarrs K1 with Stellarvue 5/30/14
Comet Panstarrs K1 5/29/14
Comet Panstarrs K1 5/18/14
Comet Panstarrs K1 5/9/14
2013 Images
Comet Panstarrs K1 4/24/14
Comet Panstarrs K1 4/6/14
Comet Lovejoy 4/6/14
Comet Lovejoy 3/8/14
Comet Linear X1 3/8/14
Comet Panstarrs K5 3/8/14
Comet Lovejoy 1/26/14
Comet Linear X1 1/26/14
Comet Jager 290P 1/4/14
Comet 154P Brewington 12-28-13 RETAKE - NO RED LITE
Comet ISON 11/02/13
Comet Linear X1 (Jellyfish II) 11/02/13
Comet ISON 10/26/13
Comet Encke 10/26/13
Comet Lovejoy 10/26/13
Comet ISON Tripple Conjunction! 10/14/13
Comet ISON 10/12/13
Comet Encke 10/4/13
Comet Lovejoy 10/4/13
Comet ISON 10/4/13
Comet Lemmon C/2012 F6 9/27/13
Comet Linear S1 9/27/13
Comet ISON 9/16/13
Comet Panstarrs Fan Tail Returns! 6/8/13
Comet Panstarrs fabulous Anti Tail 5/27/13
Triple Conjunction 5/26/13
Comet Panstarrs Magnificent Anti Tail 5/22/13
Comet Panstarrs 5/16/13
Comet Lemmon 5/16/13
Comet Panstarrs 4/23/13 Shots with CCD
2012 Images
Comet Panstarrs 4/21/13 First shot with 12 inch!
Comet Panstarrs 4/15/13
Comet Panstarrs 4/11/13
Comet Panstarrs 4/8/13
Comet Panstarrs 3/30/13
Comet Panstarrs 3/16/13
Comet Panstarrs 3/14/13
Comet ISON 2/5/13
Comet Panstarrs 3/10/13
Comet Panstarrs 3/13/13
2011 Images
Comet Hergenrother 10/8/12
Comet Catalina 11/23/12
Comet McNaught 11/23/12
Comet Hergenrother 11/23/12
2010 Images
Fading Comet Hartley 2/12/11
Comet Gerradd 8/29/11
Comet Gerradd 10/22/11
2009 Images
Comet Hartley 10/08/10
Comet McNaught 6/21/10
Comet Wild 2
Comet Vales 5/16/10
Comet SW-1 3/18/10
Comet Lulin With Robotic Barn Door 2/20/09
Comet Hartley on 11/7/10
Comet Hartley 10/3/10
Comet Hartley 9/17/10
Comet 103P/Hartley 9/5/10
2008 Images
Comet Shoemaker Levy 1/9/10
Comet Lulin with 400mm f/5 2/26/09
Comet Lulin 2/4/09
Comet Kushida 2/1/09
2007 Images
Holmes/1499 3/6/08
Comet Holmes 1/26/08
M33 - Tuttle Encounter 12/30/07
Comet Holmes 12/26/07
Comet Holmes in the Perseus Association 11/10/07
The "Jellyfish" Comet Comet Holmes 12/02/07
Comet Tuttle 8p 12/2/07
Comet Holmes 10/31/07
Comet Holmes with the SV80S 11/3/07
Comet Holmes 2h RGB 11/8/07
Comet Holmes 10/24/07
Comet Lovejoy 6/17/07
2006 Images
Comet Mcnaught Synchrones in the west 1/22/07
Comet Swan in the 12.5" 11/19/06
Comet Swan from Happy Jack 10/21/06
Comet Barnard 8/2/06
Comet SW3 and the Ring 5/7/06
All three Fragments 4/29/06
Comet SW3 More Green 4/29/06
Comet SW3 3 frags 4/22/06 Comet SW3 4/19/06
Comet Swan 9/30/06
Comet Swan in the keystone 10/28/06 2005 Images
Comet Pojmansky 3/3/06 Comet Pojmansky in The morning sky 2/27/06
Pojmansky 4/7/06
Comet SW-1 11/1/05
Comet Tempel 1 June 9/05
Comet Machholz 4/29/05
Comet Tempel 1 June 9/05 Comet Van Ness 11/4/05
Comet Machholz with Schmidt 3/12/05
Comet Machholz 3/11/05 Comet Machholz and Galaxies Jan 14th, 05
Comet Machholz Jan 12/05 w/Meade 622
2004 Images
Comet Machholz and the Pleiades 1/06/05
Comet Machholz in Orion 12/10/04 Comet Bradfield April 27, 2004
Comet Machholz Q2 11/18/04
Comet Machholz 12/3/04
Comet Machholz 12/11/04 Schmidt Camera Comet Machholz Q2 in Columba 1/04
Comet Machholz in Orion 12/10/04 Comet Linear T7 Jan 17th, 04
Comet Neat May 8th, 04
Comet Neat 6/5/04
2003 Images
Comet Neat 5/22/04 Schmidt
Comet Neat 5/20/04
2002 Images
Comet Linar RX14 1/2/03 Comet Linear T7 11/22/03
Comet Encke 11/22/03
Comet Linear RX14 1/2/03
Comet NEAT V1 1/27/03
2001 Images
Comet IZ and NGC7830 4/18/02
Comet Linear WM1 in Aquilla 4/13/02
Comet IZ 4/14/02
Comet Loneos OG1 4/15/02
Comet IZ May 3rd, 02
Comet Snyder Murakami 5/03/02
Comet Utsunomya and Mercury Meet May 4th, 2002
Comet IZ 6/6/02
Comet IZ and M31 4/4/02
2000 Images
Comet McNaught-Hartley February 3, 2001
Comet McNaught Hartley January 20th, 01
Comet IZ June 11 with Anti Tail 6/11/01
Comet IZ March 31 in West 3/31/01
Comet Linear Y1 in Pegasus, 6" f/3.6 Schmidt Newtonian, SBIG237 CCD 15x2mins November 24, 2000 Tracking on the comets head during the half hour exposure gave a sharp comet, and streaking stars. The comet was 13th magnitude at this time.
Comet Linear Y1, November 19th, 2000. This currently 12.5 magnitude object is riding high in Pegasus in the evening sky, and sports a short but obvious tail. This is a composite of 12 two minute exposures combined in Maxim DL to align the comets head and thus freeze the comets motion against the starry background. 6" f/3.6 Schmidt Newtonian.
Comet Catalina-Skiff in Perseus. 12.5" f/5 SBIG237 CCD, 5mins. With the huge amount of rain and clouds this October, one clear night after a rainstorm passed was clear. This image was taken of an extremely faint comet, magnitude 14.0. it is only 10 arcseconds in diameter to boot. Sheets of ice were hardening all over the telescope, and optics, charts and laptop. The mount hit the wall at the very end of the exposure, causing some trailing of the images, but the comet was still recored well. (The next day I saber sawed the offending stud so that doesnt happen again!)
Comet Linear T2 in Hercules, 10-15-00. 6" f/3.6, SBIG237 CCD 2x5mins. The comet is a very dim 13.2 magnitude here, and even shows a faint tail to the upper left. 1999 Images
Comet Linear T2 in Hercules, 10-16-00. 6" f/3.6, SBIG237 CCD 2x5mins. The next evening, the comet moved about half a degree.
Comet Linear Y1 in Andromeda, 10-16-00. 6" f/3.6, SBIG237 CCD 10x1min. This is the faintest comet Ive shot yet, at 13.8 magnitude. There is a hint of a short tail pointing downward here. 1998 Images
1997 Images
September 27, 1997 - Drawing with my 16" f/4.4 newtonian from our observing site on Zane Gray Highway up on the Mogollon Rim at 6500 feet. Observing with Tom Polakis and Bernie Sanden. Comet Hale/Bopp October 14, 1997 -12" f/5 Newtonian, 2 minutes exposure on Kodak Pro 400 ppf from Payson Arizona by the Author. This short exposure reveals a north-south enlongation of the coma, with a westward pointing tail glow. This very strange appearance has persisted for several weeks now. This will be my final shot with the 12 inch, since it was only 2 degrees up above the distant trees. The seeing was very poor as you may guess, but the comet was mag 5.5 and still detectable with my naked eyes. The yellowish color of the comet seen here is probably due to dust from atmospheric extinction. Comet Hale/Bopp October 5, 1997 - 5.5" f/1.65 Schmidt Camera, 4 mins on Kodak Pro 400 ppf from Payson Arizona by Chris Schur. The comet is seen as it skimmed the tree tops (green dark shape on bottom). This spectacular grouping with the open cluster NGC2477 in Puppis (fainter, richer cluster) and NGC2451 ( the very sparse cluster on the right edge, with bright orange star), and NGC2546 (the faint large group to the uppermost left). I had only about half an hour to get the shot composed, find a guide star and begin shooting because it had to be timed to go between tree branches. The mounting was 14 feet off the ground, on my back balcony as well, so lets just say it was very low on the south eastern horizon! The comet photographed as a sky blue color in the coma, indications of some gas activity still in progress. The comet was 5th magnitude, and very faintly visibly to the unaided eye as a large patch about half a degree across. The tail seen here is 1.5 degrees long or so. Comet Hale/Bopp September 27, 1997 #3- 135mm f/3.5 4 mins on Kodak Pro 400 ppf from Payson Arizona by Chris Schur. Comet Hale/Bopp - 135mm f/3.5 2 mins on Kodak Pro 400 ppf from Payson Arizona by Chris Schur. Comet Hale/Bopp September 27, 1997 #1 - 135mm f/2.5 6 mins on Kodak Pro 400 ppf from Payson Arizona by Chris Schur. The open cluster to the right of the comet is NGC2477 in Puppis. The comet was only 10 degrees up when these three shots were taken!
Comet Hale/Bopp September 22, 1997 - Drawing with an 8" f/5 newtonian on just before morning twilight. The comet was extremely low in the east south east, however good detail could be glimpsed. Comet Drawings on the night of November 1-2, 1997 at Sentinel Star Party Comet Utsunamiya October 31, 1997 - Yes, while others were trick-or-treating, I was out shooting the comet! This is a composite of five exposures, each five minutes in length on Kodak Pro400 ppf that was hypered for 8 hours. Taken with my 12.5" f/5 newtonian, the exposures are short due to the comets very fast motion across the sky. I sandwiched the negatives in the darkroom, (try that with five 10mb files sometime) and aligned the comets nucleus. Even in five minutes, the nucleus is trailed a very tiny amount, and the gap between the star trails is because of this. Notice the beautiful emerald green color. More Comet Hale Bopp
Latest uploads of images from Four Peaks Road in Central Arizona of the comet rising in a very reddish morning twilight just over Four Peaks Mountain. The comet was 3rd magnitude, and exhibited a 1 degree tail in 7x50 binoculars. Here is a multi part rising sequence of that event at 6:05 to 6:15 am MST. All shots are with a 135mm f/2.5 telephoto on a tracking mount on hypered Kodak Pro400ppf film. Shot by the author. Please be certain to view them with a 24bit viewer for best effect!
More January 97 Images
Hale Bopp rising over Four Peaks, #1, 6:05am , .
Hale Bopp rising over Four Peaks, #3, . Hale Bopp rising over Four Peaks, #4, . Hale Bopp rising over Four Peaks, #5, . Hale Bopp rising over Four Peaks, #6, .
Comet Hale Bopp Hale Bopp rising over Four Peaks, #7, 6:15am Note that in these images, the yellow dust tail includes the anti-tail, now spreading out into a large fan that still points sunward, and also note the electric arc blue ion tail extending up to three degrees from the head. Comet Hale Bopp More January 97 Images January 19, 1997, #1 - 5.5" f/1.65 schmidt camera, 4mins on Kodak Pro400ppf film, from Payson, Az, by the Author January 19, 1997, #2 - 5.5" f/1.65 schmidt camera, 4mins on Kodak Pro400ppf film, from Payson, Az, by the Author January 19, 1997, #3 - Same as above, but here I have combined in the darkroom two negatives to make one image to reduce grain and improve on details. Comet Hale Bopp More January 97 Images January 17, 1997, #1 - 5.5" f/1.65 schmidt camera, 4mins on Kodak Pro400ppf film, from Payson, Az, by the Author. January 17, 1997, #2 - 5.5" f/1.65 schmidt camera, 4mins on Kodak Pro400ppf film, from Payson, Az, by the Author January 17, 1997, #3 - Same as above, but here I have combined in the darkroom two negatives to make one image to reduce grain and improve on details. Comet Hale Bopp
February 15, 1997 - 5.5" schmidt camera, two 5 minutes shots combined by sandwiching negatives. Note the extreme blue color of the plasma tail, and excellent separation of dust tail.
February 15, 1997 - 5.5" schmidt camera, two 5 minutes shots combined by sandwiching negatives. This second shot taken after the last shot is with the film holder oriented 90 degrees for more tail detail.
February 15, 1997 - 12.5" f/5 newtonian, 90 seconds exposure. Kodak Pro400ppf. This short exposure shows the inner details of the coma with its parabolic envelopes.
Comet Hale Bopp
February 7, 1997 - 5.5" schmidt camera, 5mins on Kodak Pro400 ppf film. From Payson Az, by the author from his balcony.
February 15, 1997 - 50mm f/2.8 lens, 5mins on Kodak Pro 400ppf. This closely matches the appearance in binoculars.
February 15, 1997 - 50mm f/2.8 lens, 5mins on Kodak Pro 400ppf. Another shot with the comet higher up in the sky. Comet Hale Bopp
March 8, 1997 - 50mm f/2.8, 5 mins on Fuji 400 Super G Plus. Besides being inferior to the Kodak emulsion for shooting comets, the colors are poor too. However, this comparison is essential to get the best images of the comet. The comets very blue tail is seen arching into the Cygnus milkyway.
March 8, 1997 - 5.5" f/1.65 Schmidt, two 5 min exposures combined. The rich detail seen in the dust tail continues as the fine bands increase in number. The gas tail is exquisite. the fine rays and secondary rays reveal a very active comet is coming.
March 8, 1997 - 5.5" f/1.65 Schmidt, two 5 min exposures combined. Second image in pair, with film holder rotated 90 degrees to reveal a different aspect of the tail. This shot confirms the fine features in the dust tail. Comet Hale Bopp
- Synchrones (?) in the dust tail. 5.5" f/1.65 schmidt camera, two 5 minute exposures combined. Besides the fabulous detail the comet is presenting to us astrophotographers in the gas tail, now we are starting to see some fine structure in the dust tail. This was the first image I saw the fine linear streaks in the dust tail ever, and it will be exciting to track their development.
March 7, 1997 - Synchrones (?) in the dust tail. 5.5" f/1.65 schmidt camera, two 5 minute exposures combined. Second image taken on same date with the schmidt film holder rotated 90 degrees.
March 8, 1997 - Rising Over the Mogollon Rim in Northern Arizona. 50mm f/2.8 lens, 2mins on Fuji 400 Super G Plus. Although the dust extinction is taking its toll, the comets nucleus rose halfway through this exposure of what was intended to be a shot of the tail rising by itself. Oh well, Ill have more chances! Comet Hale Bopp
March 6, 1997 - ROCKET LAUNCH WITH HALE BOPP - 50mm f/1.4, 15 seconds on Kodak Pro400 ppf. I was driving to work and happened to have a camera in the jeep, when the rocket from White Sands New Mexico went up to the right of the comet. It was still dark enough to get some rewarding shots of the comet with a still expanding multicolored contrail cloud.
March 7, 1997 - 135mm f/4, 10 minutes on Kodak Pro400ppf. This is actually two 5 minute exposures sandwiched in the digital darkroom to produce this enhanced composite image. The 135mm is perfect for showing the long blue ion tail in addition to the compact, but detailed dust appendage.
March 7, 1997 - 135mm f/4, 5 minutes on Kodak Pro400ppf. This is a single frame of the above image to show the difference that the sandwiching negatives makes in the comets image. The technique reduces grain, improves contrast, and makes detail much easier to see. Comet Hale Bopp
March 5, 1997 - 50mm f/2.8, 5 mins on Fuji 400 Super G Plus. Second image taken minutes after the last shot. Here the comet is seen in rising above the tree tops, at the top of the frame is gamma Cygni with its associated red emission nebulosities.
March 5, 1997 - 5.5" f/1.65 Schmidt Camera, two 5 minute exposures combined in the darkroom, taken with Kodak Pro400 ppf film. The wonderful dust fan is growing very rapidly, and will soon overtake the gas tail as far as grandeur. Note the development of several sub rays in the gas tail, which were not visible days before.
March 5, 1997 - 5.5" f/1.65 Schmidt Camera, two 5 minute exposures combined in the darkroom, taken with Kodak Pro400 ppf film. Second exposure on this date with the schmidt, with the film holder rotated 90 degrees. Notice that while the earlier shots revealed a greenish leading edge on the coma, this one appears bluish.
Comet Hale Bopp
March 3, 1997 - 12.5" f/5 Newtonian, 60 seconds on Kodak Pro 400ppf film, from the authors backyard observatory. Part two of this sequence shows the exciting and beautiful nature of the hoods in the coma. The jet is seen to curve backward from the nucleus, and become a very bright ray in the tail. At first this ray was connected with the gas tail only, but later on became a separate entity seen as a bright rib in the center of the tail.
March 3, 1997 - 12.5" f/5 Newtonian, 4 minutes on Kodak Pro 400ppf film, from the authors backyard observatory. This shot reveals the magnificence and incredible wealth of detail visible near the nucleus. The green leading edge of the coma can be seen clearly here, emanating from swan bands, and the very unusual purplish brown color of the inner coma is in evidence.
March 5, 1997 - 50mm f/2.8, 5 mins on Fuji 400 Super G Plus. As the comet moved northward, the long blue ion tail became clearly shorter, yet still swept past the most spectacular portions of the Cygnus Milkyway.
Comet Hale Bopp
- 135mm f/4, 10 mins on Fuji 400 Super G Plus film. From Payson, Az by the author from his balcony. Here we can see the rapidly broadening plasma tail reaching up into the Cygnus region. At the upper left is NGC7000, the North America Nebula.
- 5.5" f/1.65 Schmidt Camera, 5 mins on Kodak Pro 400 ppf film. Second in a sequence of images with the schmidt, with the film holder rotated 90 degrees from the above image. Note the brownish-purple color of the dust component in the head and tail. This unusual color is a combination of the swan band component and an absorption effect similar to smog in the vicinity of the coma.
March 3, 1997 - 12.5" f/5 Newtonian, 30 seconds on Kodak Pro 400ppf film, from the authors backyard observatory. This is part one of a three part sequence showing the inner coma and near nucleus features. The sunward jet of material that has caused so much excitement is seen clearly here, and just below it in this shot, a few dark rings can be seen from the spiral jet in the nucleus causing alternating waves of light down the jet. Comet Hale Bopp
March 20, 1997 - 135mm f/4, 5 mins on Kodak Pro400ppf. First of two images with the 135mm of the comet rising over the Mogollon Rim in Northern Arizona. The low altitude does have a detrimental effect on the visibility and contrast of the tails, but perhaps from a aesthetic point of view, the Rim and reddening background from the oncoming surise make up for it!
March 20, 1997 - 135mm f/4, 5 mins on Kodak Pro400ppf. Second of two images with the 135mm of the comet rising over the Mogollon Rim in Northern Arizona. As sunrise approaches the ultra red sensitvity of the Pro 400 film really brings out the ruddy sky.
- ALL SKY HUBCAP. Now heres what can be best described as a self portrait of the dedicated comet photographer in the morning sky! This shot was taken with my 135mm f/4 lens aimed into a 10 inch automobile hubcap proped up on a chair and facing east. The comet can be seen in all its glory, rising the Mogollon Rim, and the dark shadowy figures is me next to my schmidt camera mount standing perfectly still for 5 minutes. (not an easy thing to do for me!) Comet Hale Bopp
March 18, 1997 - Evening shot same day as above morning shot showing the progress of the comets evening apparition setting over the trees. Hints of the ion tail are finally appearing, and this shot also reveals the unique aspect of the horizontal tail in the sky after sunset. 135mm f/4, 5 mins on Kodak Pro 400ppf.
March 20, 1997 - 50mm f/2.8, 5 mins on Kodak Pro 400ppf. First of pair of shots taken in the morning sky. The comet was still most spectacular in the morning, and this rising shot exactly matched the naked eye impression (except for color!) as the comet rose over the Mogollon Rim.
March 20, 1997 - 50mm f/2.8, 5 mins on Kodak Pro 400ppf. Second of 50mm shots, same data, and with camera oriented in "portrait mode". Comet Hale Bopp
March 15, 1997 - Objective prism shot of the comet. A 400mm f/6.3 lens was shot into a prism at the comet, producing this image. The camera was stationary, and the comet and stars were allowed to trail for 5 minutes perpendicular to the prisms dispersion. The extra yellow spectral line seen was the cause of the comets nucleus to take on a yellowish tint to the naked eye. Pro 400ppf.
March 15, 1997 - Objective prism shot of the lights of Payson, some 4 miles distant. Compare this to the above image, and you will see that the prism does a fair job at resolving the spectra of bright sources.
- Morning Rising Sequence. This is one of my most favorite shots so far of the comet, it was taken by putting the camera on a standard tripod, unguided, and opening the shutter with the lens cap on. Then I exposed the film for 20 seconds every 15 minutes seven times. The shot was with a 50mm lens at f/2.8 on Kodak Pro 400 ppf, and shows the extinction band, even present at my 5150 foot elevation yellowing the comet near the horizon. The goal was to also get the tail without the head as the comet rose, which is seen here as well just popping over the Mogollon Rim in Northern Arizona, which is some 20 miles north of my house. Comet Hale Bopp
March 15, 1997 - 5.5" f/1.65 schmidt camera. First of pair in which the synchrones (?) are at their maximum extent. Comet West in 76 showed similar tail development, but few comets since have anything like this. Pro 400ppf pair of 5 minutes shots combined in darkroom.
March 15, 1997 - 5.5" f/1.65 schmidt camera. Second of pair with schmidt film holder rotated 90 degrees. As is with all schmidt shots I present, the edges match the cardinal directions.
March 15, 1997 - First Evening Shots from Payson. This 135mm f/4 shot was for 5 minutes on Kodak Pro 400 ppf, and shows the unique "horizontal tail" so charecteristic of this comets initial evening apparitions. Just barely above the tree tops, it was only visible for about ten minutes in the bright twilight. Comet Hale Bopp
March 11, 1997 - the comet with the cocoon nebula in between the two tails was the attraction this night, this 135mm f/4 shot was a pair of 5 minute exposures combined in the darkroom to make this composite with reduced grain and improved color saturation. Pro 400 ppf.
March 11, 1997 - 5.5" f/1.65 schmidt camera. A close up of the comet on this date shows a strengthening of the faint paralell bands in the tail (syncrones?) and a dramatic wrap around blue ion tail that extends off the 9 degree field. Pro 400ppf.
March 15, 1997 - 135mm f/4, two 5 minute exposures combined on Pro 400ppf. This is the date that has the best dust tail detail so far, excellent banding is visible even in this wide angle shot taken in the morning sky. Comet Hale Bopp
April 8, 1997 - Setting sequence. 50mm f/2.8 lens. This shot was taken by opening the cameras shutter while on a fixed tripod, and only uncovering the lens for 20 seconds every 15 minutes. the resultant combined images shows a very nice action portrait of the comet setting in the west.
April 13, 1997 - 24mm f/2.8 lens, 45 seconds on Kodak Pro 400 ppf. This shot was taken by myself and photographer Vince Mele up on the Mogollon Rim in Northern arizona. We set up the tripod next to a very still pond, and shot the comet and its reflection in the water while cars whizzed by just behind us.
March 8 to March 20 images
March 8, 1997 - 5.5" f/1.65 schmidt camera, two pairs of 5 minutes expoures on Kodak Pro400ppf sandwhiched and then combined to for this composite of two fields. Hints of the Syncrhones are still present, and the gas tail shows abundant ray detail. Comet Hale Bopp
April 6, 1997 -50mm f/2.8, 5 mins on Kodak Pro 400 ppf. ( you probably are getting the idea by now, I REALLY like this film!) the comets beautiful aspect with the Perseus association and double cluster can be seen here.
April 6, 1997 - 5.5" f/1.65 Schmidt camera, two 5 minute exposures combined in the darkroom. This is the first of a pair of images showing the cluster M34 within the comets dust tail. Note the colors of the stars in the cluster, and how it contrasts beautifully with the comets rich blues and yellows.
April 6, 1997 - 5.5" f/1.65 Schmidt camera, two 5 minute exposures combined in the darkroom. Second of a pair, taken the same way. Comet Hale Bopp
March 29, 1997 - 135mm f/4, 5 mins on Kodak Pro 400 ppf. I have two images to offer on this date, this one shows the general aspect of the tails with the double cluster in Perseus on the upper right.
March 29, 1997 - 50mm f/1.4, 1 min. This is one of those shots you always wanted to take right? I set the camera up in my living room and shot the setting comet through the window! Perhaps not everyone wants such a shot, but Im not just everyone...
April 6, 1997 - 135mm f/4, two 5 minute exposure combined in the darkroom. This excellent pairing of deep sky objects, shows M34 in Perseus in the tail of the comet very near the head. The comets blue ion tail continues to broaden out, but the dust tail is becoming very long, some 20 degrees naked eye. Comet Hale Bopp
March 28, 1997 - 135mm f/4, 5 mins on Kodak Pro 400 ppf. More broadening of the ion tail, but the rays in the tail are separating to make them each more distinct.
March 28, 1997 - 5.5" schmidt camera, two 5 minutes exposures combined in the darkroom. This high contrast and detailed image is first of a pair showing excellent detail in the plasma tail of the comet, but nearly a featurless dust tail. This is a far cry from the March 15th images that show the synchronic bands.
March 28, 1997 - 5.5" schmidt camera, two 5 minutes exposures combined in the darkroom. The film holder of the schmidt was rotated 90 degrees (always N-S on one edge!) to reveal yet another aspect of this specatular comet. 1996 Images
Comet Hale Bopp
March 27, 1997 #2- 50mm f/2.8, 5 mins on Kodak Pro 400ppf. Later on, after the comet made its unique pairing with the Andromeda galaxy, I got this image with a wide angle lens, matching the naked eye appearance.
March 27, 1997 #3 - 5.5" f/1.65 schmidt camera, 5 mins on Kodak Pro 400 ppf. This and the next image taken consectutively show the much broadening of the ion tail, with a rapid increase in detail. This trend would continue, making the tail much shorter and fainter over the next few weeks.
March 27, 1997 #3 - 5.5" f/1.65 schmidt camera, 5 mins on Kodak Pro 400 ppf. Portrait orientation of above shot, taken right afterwards. Comet Hale Bopp March 25, 1997 - 135mm f/4, 10 mins on Kodak Pro400ppf. The comets still horizontal tail was a very striking sight in arizona, the broadening fan tail was lengthening daily, and the blue ion tail showed much ray detail, even in the 135mm.
March 26, 1997 - 135mm f/4, 10 mins on Kodak Pro 400ppf. The next day, changes can be seen especailly in the gas tail.
March 27, 1997 #1 - 135mm f/4, 5 mins on Kodak Pro 400 ppf. This spectacular pairing with the Andromeda galaxy shows just how big and bright the comet really is. Ive always wanted to get a bright comet in the same picture with M31, because it is so familiar as the one of the brightest deep sky objects in the sky.
Comet Hale Bopp
September 26, 1996, High Pass Filtered to show numerous jets, Taken DURING lunar eclipse totality, 12.5" f/5 Newtonian, Kodak Pro400ppf, 20m, Payson, Az
September 7, 1996, 12.5" f/5 Newtonian, Kodak Pro400ppf, 20m, Payson, Az
September 7, 1996 , High Pass Filtered to reveal jets, 12.5" f/5 Newtonian, Kodak Pro400ppf, 20m, Payson, Az
September 26, 1996, Taken DURING lunar eclipse totality, 12.5" f/5 Newtonian, Kodak Pro400ppf, 20m, Payson, Az 1995 Images
COMET TABUR October 13, 1996, Note M108 and M97 on right edge, 6" f/3.6 Schmidt Newtonian, Kodak Pro400ppf, 10m, Payson, Az
COMET TABUR October 13, 1996, 12.5" f/5 Newtonian, Kodak Pro400ppf, 15m, Payson, Az
COMET HYAKUTAKE
4/11/96, 8" f/1.5 Schmidt Camera, Fuji 800 Super G Plus film, 4mins, Payson, Az
1994 Images
1993 Images
1992 Images
1991 Images
1990 Images
COMET METCALF BREWINGTON
January 18, 1991, 6" f/3.6 Schmidt Newtonian, 15 mins on Hypered 2415 film, Payson
Comet Levy
September 20, 1990, With M15, 8" f/1.5 Schmidt Camera, 6mins on Fuji HG400 film, Payson Comet Levy
February 9, 1991, With spectacular long thin anti tail, 8" f/1.5 Schmidt Camera, 5 mins on Hypered 2415 film, Payson
COMET LEVY
August 22, 1990, 14" f/5 Newtonian, Offset Guided on stars, 9 mins on Hypered 2415
1989 Images
Comet Austin
May 4, 1990, 16" f/4.5 Newtonian, 5mins on Ektar 1000 film, Payson
Comet Austin
May 6, 1990, Objective Prism Spectra, 400mm f/6.3, 15mins on Ektar 1000, Payson Comet Austin
April 27, 1990, 8" f/1.5 Schmidt Camera, 5mins on Hypered 2415, Payson 1988 Images
COMET BRORESEN METCALF
August 29, 1989, 14" f/5 Newtonian, 15mins on Hypered 2415, Payson, AZ
COMET BRORESEN METCALF
August 14, 1989, 14" f/5 Newtonian, 15mins on Hypered 2415, offset guided on stars to keep comet motionless. COMET BRORESEN METCALF
September 10, 1989, 8" f/1.5 Schmidt Camera, 4mins on Hypered 2415, Payson 1987 Images
1986 Images
COMET BRADFIELD
November 19, 1987, 8" f/1.5 Schmidt Camera, 15mins on Fuji RD100 film, Black Canyon City COMET BRADFIELD November 19, 1987, Objective Prism Spectra, 400mm f/6.3, 20mins on Konica SR1600 COMET BRADFIELD
November 12, 1987, 16" f/4.5 Newtonian, 15mins on Konica SR400 film, Black Canyon City COMET BRADFIELD
December 20, 1987, 8" f/1.5 Schmidt Camera, 2415 film, 10mins, 50cc Yellow filter, Black Canyon City, Az 1985 Images
COMET HALLEY
April 29, 1986, With Corvus, 50mm f/2.8, 30 mins on Fuji RD100, Dugas Az COMET HALLEY
March 8, 1986, 7"fl f/2.5 Aero Ektar, 30 mins on Fuji RD100, Queensland Australia COMET HALLEY
March 15, 1986, 7"fl f/2.5 Aero Ektar, 4mins on Ektachrome 400, Black Canyon City COMET HALLEY
January 12, 1986, Objective Prism Spectra, 400mm f/6.3, 25mins on 3M1000 film 1984 Images
1983 Images
1982 Images
Comet IRAS-ARAKI-ALCOCK
May 10, 1983, 135mm f/4 10mins on Tri-x film, Black Canyon City, Az
1981 Images
1980 Images
COMET BRADFIELD (1980t)
January 14, 1981, 10" f/6 Newtonian, 5mins on Ektachrome 400, Chino Valley, Az 1979 Images
1978 Images
1977 Images
1976 Images
1975 Images
COMET D'ARREST
July 31, 1976, 135mm f/4, 15 mins on Tri-x film, Highland Michigan
COMET WEST
March 27, 1976, 135mm f/2.8 10 mins on Tri-x film, Highland Michigan COMET WEST
March 11, 1976, 135mm f/2.8, 10 mins on Tri-x film, two negs superimposed to reduce grain. COMET WEST
March 7, 1976, 135mm f/2.8, 1 min on Tri-x film, Highland Michigan 1974 Images
Comet KOBAYASHI BERGER MILLON
July 29, 1975, 135mm f/2.8, 10 mins on Tri-x film, Highland Michigan
COMET KAHOUTEK
Jan. 7, 1974, 135mm f/4, 1min on Tri-x film, Highland Michigan (in deep snow!)
