Tag: Comet C/2011 L4 PanSTARRS

Comet PanSTARRS—VIII

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Comet PanSTARRS continues to amaze sky watchers! Even though it has significantly diminished in brightness as it moves away it is still easily photographed. Even more amazing is the incredible “anti-tail” that has developed. Astronomy Photo of the Day (APOD) has a nice image of the anti-tail of Comet PanSTARRS. APOD notes that “…PanSTARRS anti-tail is one of the longest since the appearance of Comet Arend-Roland in 1957.”

 

Comet PanSTARRS: 30 May 2013.
Comet PanSTARRS: 30 May 2013.

This image was taken using a fixed tripod along with a moderate and fast telephoto lens (Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.8G). Thirty separate images of 15s duration were stacked using the free Deep Sky Stacker software. This relatively-long exposure with a telephoto lens was only possible because the comet is located so close to Polaris (North Star) resulting in minimal star motion. This shows that high-end astronomy equipment (i.e. equatorial tracking mount, telescope, modified cameras, etc.) is not necessary to take photographs of the comet.

 

Comet PanSTARRS — VII

This will probably be the final entry for Comet C/2011 L4 PanSTARRS. The comet is heading farther away from Earth each day and its brightness has diminished substantially. I have still been able to photograph it using long exposures or by stacking* many shorter exposures.

Comet PanSTARRS
Comet PanSTARRS

Here is an image from a few days ago that clearly shows the fan-shaped tail of the comet.

Comet PanSTARRS and M31.
Comet PanSTARRS and M31.

From a month ago — this stacked image shows both the comet and M31 (Andromeda Galaxy).

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* I’ve been experimenting with the free Deep Sky Tracker for image stacking.

 

 

Jupiter, Venus, Moon, and Comet PanSTARRS in the night sky

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The evening of 11 May 2013 presented an assortment of visual treats in the night sky. In the evening twilight the planets Venus and Jupiter clustered around the thin crescent of the moon. With one planet above and one below it was a delightful sight.

Details: ISO 200; f/2.8; 28mm; 1/8 second.

Moon, Jupiter, and Venus in the evening twilight.
Moon, Jupiter, and Venus in the evening twilight.

As the sky darkened it was possible to photograph the fading Comet C/2011 L4 PanSTARRS, located near the constellation Cepheus. The combination of several short exposures stacked together allowed the faint glow of the comet to appear. This was photographed using a fixed tripod and an 85mm/f1.8 lens. No telescope required.

Details: ISO 1600; f/1.8; 85mm; 10x4s.

A distant and fading Comet PanSTARRS.
A distant and fading Comet PanSTARRS.

As twilight faded the celestial objects sank lower in the sky until Venus set behind the distant hills. As the moon began to follow, the dark sky allowed the zodiacal light to shine upwards providing illumination around the planet Jupiter.

Details: ISO 3200; f/2.8; 28mm; 8 seconds.

Jupiter, Moon, and zodiacal light.
Jupiter, Moon, and zodiacal light.

The planets Jupiter and Venus will draw closer together over the coming weeks and this should present many great photographic opportunities.

Comet PanSTARRS – VI

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Here is another image from early April showing both Comet PanSTARRS and M31 (Andromeda Galaxy). The winds were much lighter on this evening allowing for a smooth and reflective water surface.

Comet PanSTARRS and M31.
Comet PanSTARRS and M31.

 

Comet PanSTARRS – V

The show continues with Comet C/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) in the evening sky. Although it has grown dimmer — substantially so — in the past few weeks it is still easily visible in the northwestern twilight sky with a pair of binoculars. But it helps if you know exactly where to look.

For the next several nights, Comet PanSTARRS will be approaching M31 (also known as Andromeda Galaxy). Knowing where to find M31 it then becomes easy to look for the comet. Scanning the skies during twilight I was able to locate M31 with the binoculars then locked the position on the tripod. I swapped out the binoculars and replaced them with the camera.

Comet C/2011 L4 PanSTARRS and M31 in the evening sky.
Comet C/2011 L4 PanSTARRS and M31 in the evening sky.

Meanwhile, the zodiacal light has been quite remarkable this spring. This light is the result of the sun lighting up particles located in the ecliptic plane — the same plane in which the moon, sun, and planets move across the sky. The small size of many of the particles results in strong forward scattering so the brightest area is closest to the sun with the light fading above the horizon.

Zodiacal light in the western sky.
Zodiacal light in the western sky.

The zodiacal light was spectacular last night owing to exceptionally clear skies, no moon, and little or no nearby light pollution. After shooting the comet and M31 for some time I turned the camera more westward to capture this light. Sitting atop the triangle of light is the cluster of stars known as the Pleiades.

Over the next several evenings the comet will approach M31 so that they appear to overlap — although there is the mere distance of 2.5 million light years separating them.