Comet Atlas M3 Next to Capella in Auriga
in the evening sky
1/2/21

 
 This
            spectacular scene involving a 1st magnitude G type star and a
            10th magnitude comet is an imaging challenge to say the least.
            This one hour exposure was required for the faint comet which
            is a nice teal color here, but way overexposed the brilliant
            Capella. The comet here is within half a degree of this star,
            and fortunately did not end up under one of the huge diffraction
            spikes from Capella!

            
Select an image size for a larger view:

1400 x 1200
            


Lens:  8 f/3.9 Orion Astrograph Newtonian
Platform:  Homemade Byers GEM
Exposure:  55mins
Location:  Happy Jack, Arizona
Elevation:  6800 ft.
Sky:  Seeing  7/10, Transparency 9/10
Outside Temperature:  20F
Processing Tools:  Maxim DL, Photoshop CS2
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