Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Best.McNaught.Photo.Ever
And that is saying something. Run, don't walk to Astronomy Post of the Day and check out this astounding picture taken on Australia Day, you can see the guy's photogallery here.
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Farewell McNaught
A sequence of Shots of McNaught from
22/01/07 to 4/02/07
You will need to click on the image to enlarge it.
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Comet McNaught Update
Another great image taken by Tony Travaglia of New Zealand (taken on Feb 1, I think).Comet McNaught has been difficult to see in the Moonlight, last night I could just pick it up by averted vision in my suburban location. Nonetheless it is great in binoculars. This image taken last night by Graham Parker in New Zealand is pretty spectacular, but does have a 69 second exposure.
Now that the Moon is rising later, the tail of McNaught should become more obvious, tonight I could see the comet as a dim streak an hour an 10 minutes after sunset, with about a handspan of tail. So keep on looking folks. If you have just come out of the house, you will need to allow your eyes to adjust for a few minutes. Doing some sweeps with binoculars will help you locate the comet while your eyes adjust.
I've got two more rolls of film to process, so I'll put up some more images later. (and I'm working on a post on the science of McNaught). Here is an interesting image of the head of McNaught. An, as a teaser for the "science post", here is an image of the striae, which I will explain then.
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Comet McNaught in the Morning
The southern horizon an hour before sunrise, (click to enlarge).Comet McNaught is getting dimmer, and the bright Moon doesn't help. But I can still see McNaught as a pale streak against the sky about an hour after sunset. It looks good in binoculars.
McNaught is also visible in the morning, here is an image by Wil Godward, and here is a lovely series from John Drummond in New Zealand.
The south western sky about an hour after sunste (click to enlarge)If you can't get up in the morning, don't worry. The comet will visible for at least the rest of the week, especially as the Moon rises later. After that, you may need binoculars.
Our guests have departed (sadly) but now I have my office back, so I have a backlog of postings to work through.
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Still More Readers Photos
Here are a selection of the readers images that I have been promising for a while. Remember, copyright remians with these folks, so if you want to publish them in a glossy magazine, you have to ask their permission first. Also, my sister lin law will be camped out in the office for the next few days, so posting frequency will drop.Anyway, the first of these beautiful images is from Geoff Sims again. This was taken in Sydney on Jan 22nd (sorry for taking so long to post this Geoff). I've got more from him to post later. As always, click on the image to enlarge it. Words fail me in describing this image.
This image was taken by Andrea Deegan somewhere between 9 pm and 9.30 pm , on the 24 January, looking across Oyster Harbour, toward the town site of Albany. It was taken with a Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ30 , a 60 second exposure, on a tripod.You can see the striations in the tail, and the ripples in the water make a beautiful composition.
This image was taken by Steven Bollipo from Launceston, Tasmania around 9:40 pm on Jan 25. I like the way the tail projects up into the clouds.
This image is from Phill Williams of South Australia. The photos were taken at Mt Barker summit on Wednesday night (Jan 24) using a Canon 10D with a Sigma 28-200 lens. This image was a 30second exposure. Beautiful detail in the tail, with an interesting foreground.I have more images from these folks, and will post them later.
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Welcome Adelaide Advertiser Readers
Hello everyone who is coming here via the net adventures section by Samela Harris from the Adelaide Advertiser. Please browse around, the McNaught Chart is here. I'll be putting up more readers images tomorrow. Right now I'm preoccupied with EldestOnes 1010 birthday (you have to convert from binary).
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
Friday, January 26, 2007
McNaught at the Beach Again
Comet McNaught at around 21:30 on Jan 23rd (click to enlarge). SLR camera, F 2.0, 400 ASA, 10 second exposure, Kodak film. This is a shot taken during another mini astrofest down at Largs Bay.More readers shots to follow.
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Comet McNaught Chart for the Coming week
Chart of the location of comet 2006 P1 McNaught over the coming week (click to enlarge). Chart is for 40 minutes after sunset, and the comet is visible until at least 10:00 pm local time. As the week progressess, the comet gets dimmer but higher, and moonlight will interfeer with seeing the tail, but the view will still be marvelous.Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
More Readers images of McNaught
Cynthia Ma's image of McNaught (click to enlarge). She writes "This photo was taken on top of Hornsby Westfield with an ordinary digital camera at ISO 50, 4 sec exposure, on 19/1/2007, 8:48pm Sydney Time. The power lines are railway power lines. The clouds below the comet were a combination of bushfires smoke, traffic smog, summer haze and clouds."
Below this is an image from Tony Travaglia of New Zealand. This was taken with a Canon 300D, 300mm lens, ISO 800 and 20 sec exposure on the 22nd (click to enlarge). Good definition of the comets head here.
Below this is an image from Tony Travaglia of New Zealand. This was taken with a Canon 300D, 300mm lens, ISO 800 and 20 sec exposure on the 22nd (click to enlarge). Good definition of the comets head here.
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Comet McNaught on the Beach
Comet McNaught taken over Larg's bay Pier, SA about 9.30 pm click the image to enlarge it, 10 sec exposure, ASA 400, F 2.0 Fugi film (compare with the shot taken around 9:20 pm using the digital with a nominal 6 secon exposure). The weird angle is due to the tripod mounting being skew.So I got over excited and developed my film straight away. The detail in the comet is amazing, the forward spike is easily seen, as are the Synchrones (those striations in the tail). I'm very happy.
I've got some more shots tonight, I did a bit of playing around with exposures, and the sky was a bit clearer, it was easier to see the tail stretching uo past Grus the crane. But I'll wait a day or so to develop them, and get more shots tomorrow night hopefully.
I also have a backlog of readers images to post. I'll try and do that tomorrow.
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
In which I see comet McNaught yet again.
Comet McNaught on the evening of Monday, January 22, around 9:20 pm ACDST, Olympus mju:300, 6 seconds exposure (click image to enlarge).The clouds finally parted yesterday, I could barely constrain myself with anticipation. The Sun set at 8:30 pm ACDST, so around 9:00 pm ACDST I hurried up to the beach clutching my digital and SLR cameras and two tripods. On the way I ran into neighbor's Son, who had set up his telescope in the front yard in anticipation, I checked out Venus in it then went to the end of the Street and set up my cameras.
9:05 pm. I've set up the cameras and taken Dark Frames, I can now see the comet as a bright dot in the blue sky, with only the faintest hint of tail. The first shots are taken.
9:15 pm. The Comet has about 5 degree of tail visible and the head is quite bright (magnitude 1 perhaps, hard to tell with no nearby reference stars), Next Door Neighbour has come up for a look with his nifty binoculars (I left mine behind in the rush). The comets head and tail are clearly visible in the binoculars.
9:30 pm The Comets tail is growing in visibility, and is at least 10 degrees long (about two handspans). The head is beginning to dim as it gets closer to the horizon. Neighbor's Son, Train Companion, Bike Maker have turned up to watch and take photos. I develop envy about their digital cameras, that take much better images than mine. Their images show a clear fan of brightness pointing away from the nucleus and main tail (this I can now see readily in binoculars). At this point the car headlights get terminally annoying (why are there so many cars about on Monday evening for Zarqon's sake) and are interfering with our night vision we pack up and head down to the beach.
9:45 pm The comets head is nearly invisible, but the great fan shaped tail reaches up to alpha Grus and beyond, well over 12 degrees. I can't see any striations, but my night vision isn't what it used to be, and the comet is directly above the lights of the pier. We have now been joined by families and Eclipse Guy. Digital images are compared.
10:00 pm. With the comets head well hidden in the murk of the horizon, and the tail still stretching up in the sky, we all head home. Eclipse Guy and I have a cuppa together (after passing Bettdeckererschnappender weisle a hot milo) and discuss the comet, view digital images and relive the wonder.
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Comet P1 McNaught on Sunday Night
Location of comet P1 McNaught around 30 minutes after sunset (click to enlarge) above the western horizon as seen from the southern hemipshere.Around 30 minutes after sunset Venus, the crescent Moon and comet McNaught will put on a spectacular display. You way have to wait some minutes for most of the comets tail to come celar, but the comet and the lower part of the tail should be very easy to see. The comet is roughly on the same level above the horizon as the crescent Moon, and about 5 handsapns to the left of the Moon. The two bright stars of the constellation Grus almost point directly at it.
More spectacular images from Rob McNaught (note the comet images have moved from the comet info page) and Gordon Garrad. Some good telescopic images are here.
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Well, that was unique
Today started with cloud/rain cloud and continued for most of the day. However, when we came out from the movies (Night at the Museum, very funny) just on sunset, there was a big blue patch of sky. Of course by the time we got home, the sky was black again. The sky would tease me, with a band of blue near the horizon (while I was sheltering from the driving rain from the cloud directly above me), then complete cloud. Eventually I braved the howling gale to go down the beach. There was a band of could that steadfastly hugged the horizon, and lots of other clouds that shot past just above.
And one that stayed put. As the sky darkened and my eyes adjusted, this band of "cloud" was a pillar of "cloud", not far from the stars of Grus, the crane. And it stayed steadfast despite the hurrying of other clouds. It was the comets tail! I was seeing the tail poke up above the clouds! It was amazing. I didn't try to take a photo, the wind was trying to push me away, and any camera would be whirled away to oblivion, so I just enjoyed it (as much as you can hunkering down under a small shrub trying to reduce the impact of the wind).
This gives me an oppotrunity to link to this series of great images from Vello Tabur, showing the tail develop as the twilight progresses in Gilgandra, NSW, and these images of the tail poking up above the horizon from Italy, 45 deg North, Hawaii, and the USA.
I promise I will blog about something other than Comet McNaught in the near future.
And one that stayed put. As the sky darkened and my eyes adjusted, this band of "cloud" was a pillar of "cloud", not far from the stars of Grus, the crane. And it stayed steadfast despite the hurrying of other clouds. It was the comets tail! I was seeing the tail poke up above the clouds! It was amazing. I didn't try to take a photo, the wind was trying to push me away, and any camera would be whirled away to oblivion, so I just enjoyed it (as much as you can hunkering down under a small shrub trying to reduce the impact of the wind).
This gives me an oppotrunity to link to this series of great images from Vello Tabur, showing the tail develop as the twilight progresses in Gilgandra, NSW, and these images of the tail poking up above the horizon from Italy, 45 deg North, Hawaii, and the USA.
I promise I will blog about something other than Comet McNaught in the near future.
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
McNaught, the comet with the Amazing tail
This superb image of comet P1 McNaught comes from Darren Larcombe of Carnarvon Station Reserve. The photo was taken about 19.40 on 18 January, using a Cannon digital SLR, about 200mm lens and 2 second exposure.As I stare at the solid wall of cloud that has blocked the comet these past two days, and promises to block it out tonight, I can console myself with some truly fantastic images taken by others. I've already posted the links to Rob McNaught's images, but they are worth posting again. Peter Adderly of Sydney has some terrific images of the extended tail.
The tail is a bit over two handspans long in the sky at the moment (about half the distance between Venus and the comet itself), this is astounding. It is so long that people in the Northern Hemisphere can see the tail poking up above the horizon after sunset. Here's another image of the comet from Chile showing the astounding extent of the tail. Another image from WA by Kirsten Harris from back on the 17th is nice too, and gives an idea how much the tail has evolved over the past two days. As allways, there are heaps of images from around the southern hemisphere at Spaceweather Gallery. Also don't forget the Ice in Space photogallery, with a huge range of Australian images.
Weather forecast, well it looks like Central Australia and North QLD will be covered in cloud until late Sunday (sigh). At least the rain has helped a bit with the bushfires, but they are not in the clear yet. Again, you might consider donating to help those affected by the bushfires.
Nonetheless, if you have ANY chance of even a small break in the clouds, go and have a look. This is the most spectacular comet for 30 years, and well worth it. Tonight and Sunday the crescent Moon will make the scene more beautiful still.
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
Friday, January 19, 2007
Comet, Moon and Venus, Saturday Jan 20th
A view of the western horizon on Saturday January 20th about half an hour after sunset (click to enlarge). The very thin crescent Moon is just below Venus, off to the south-west is comet P1 McNaught. This will look fantastic. Comet McNaught is just getting just getting better and better. It's getting dimmer, but higher in the sky so it is easier to see, and an amazing tail. Sunday night the crescent Moon will be higher (as will the comet) and this should be just as beautiful.Raining cats and dogs here at the moment. I'll post some more images tomorrow.
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
More Stunning Images of Comet 2006 P1 McNaught!
Thursday night was completely clouded out here (the amazing red glow in the photo is sunlight reflected off the clouds), and coulds and smoke have covered lots of south-east Australia. Still some amazing images are coming from Australia and New Zealand, and it looks like comet McNaught is just getting better.First off is this amazing image from Graham Palmer of New Zealand. My jaw hit the floor when I saw this. Note that as this is a 15 minute exposure, the comet won't look like this to the unaided eye, but it still will be big and bright with a long tail. Next up is Terry Lovejoy, with this great image from QLD. The Ice in Space Forums have lots of good southern Hemipshere images, as does the Spaceweather gallery. The bottom line is "Keep on Looking", comet McNaught isn't finished yet, and may well be a Great Comet.
In the Northern Hemisphere, you can still see the tail of the comet just above the horizon, see here for a great shot.
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Comet McNaught Again! (Wed 17th)
Wednesday afternoon didn't look to promising, clouds hugged the horizon for most of the afternoon. Around 20 minutes aftersunset I wandered out to have a look, and couldn't see anything but a band of cloud below Venus.Then I moved a step to the right of my viewing area and the comet popped out from behind a house roof. It had changed position much more than I expected.
It was beautiful, it hung very clear and bright in the evening sky, in a crystal band of blue above the cloud. I estimate it was probably as bright as Sirius, definitly less bright than Venus, but still very bright.
I ran inside and got the kids, and we all marvelled at it for a while until the lure of "The Lion, the Witch and Wardrobe" got too much for the kids. Then I got the camera, and rushed up to the beach...just in time to see the comet vanish behind the cloud. Myself and some other comet afficionadoes hung around for a while, and were rewarded with the comet breaking through the clouds (see picture above). I've made an animation of the comet pasing through the cloud bands (4 Mb file). Then the comet vanished in the murk abnd the footpath cometographers stood around a while saying how fantastic it was before heading home.
The forcast for the next few days is rain, I'd be dissapointed except I know how much the firefighters and folks threatened by fires need a break, lets hope they get some relief.
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Fantastic images of Comet P1 McNaught from Australia
Image credit Geoffrey Sims (click on the image to enlarge).I've been sent some fantastic images, weblinks and accounts from people who have seen the comet. When I get the time I'll put togeter a webpage to summarize P1 McNaughts visit from my correspondents. In the meantime, gaze on this image from Geoffry Sims (I have some moreof his as well). It takes your breath away.
As well, see this fantastic series of shots of comet McNaught taken in the daytime by astrophotography supremo Shevill Mathers.
While we are out looking at the comet tonight, spare a thought for those people in Threadbo and Victoria whose homes and livelyhoods are threatened by massive bushfires. The red haze on the horzion means peolple are out fighting fires, rather than getting rest or being with their loved ones. Send them your thoughts or donate to charity to help the victims of the fires please.
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
Comet 2006/P1 McNaught passes through the LASCO C3 camera
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Comet 2006/P1 McNaught, what to expect tonight
Many people have written to me saying that the comet was clouded out last night. That is a shame, but there will be lots of opportunities to see it over the coming week. Tonight the comet will be dimmer, but it will also be higher, and so could possibly be more easily visible than last night. Again, start looking to the southwest, left of Venus, around 20-30 minutes after sunset. See this location map from Rob McNaughts site, its very good. Also check out Ice in Space.
Labels: 2006/P1 McNaught
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