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This comet is
1 day away from perihelion and is very bright at magnitude -2.4
now. This image was taken at 10:44 am MST just before lunchtime
of the bright comet against a blue sky 5 degrees from the Sun.
To accomplish this, first I installed a 6 foot baffle tube extension
on the front of my 10 inch newtonian. This keeps stray sunlight
from shining down the tube. Next, I installed a sun filter on
the scope and set my manual setting circles to the coordinates
of the Sun. Then off set to Altair, a 1st magnitude star in Aquilla
- easy during the daytime. Then registered my digital setting
circles to Altair. this has to be done since my digital setting
circles wont let you dial in the Sun. Finally, I moved the scope
to the comets coordinates and there it was, right in the center
of the field!
100 - 500 frame AVI
s were taken, which when stacked for best 50% yeiled a noise
free image that could be stretched a lot. I also moved the scope
just off the comet, and took a sky flat. This not only removed
the vignetting, but the near sun gradient. Finishing up the RGB
image in Photoshop for the right sky color and contrast. Will
be interesting to see the comet evolve over the next few days.
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Scope: 10" f/3.9 Orion Astrograph Newtonian
Camera: ASI083 CMOS
Platform: Astrophysics AP1200
Exposure: 50ms
Location: Payson, Arizona
Elevation: 5150 ft.
Sky: Seeing 4/10, Transparency 9/10
Outside Temperature: 40F
Processing Tools: Maxim DL, Photoshop CS2
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