Comet 17P/Holmes 2007

31.10.2007

Objective: EF70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM (cropped image)
Mount: Manfrotto + EQ1 with tracking
12 s, f/5.6, ISO 400

Time: 18:00

When the clouds eventually left the area, I headed for our backyard in Tampere, Finland to see the suddenly so bright famous comet. It was easily visible as a star with slightly dusty edges. With binoculars, comet Holmes looked like a big dust ball. Very easy target, even for urban areas.

2.11.2007

The local observatory had a pretty new telescope I hadn't used for photography yet. Comet Holmes would be the perfect target for the scope. After some focusing execercises together with a fellow photographer Kari Nyman, I finaly succeedes in capturing the comet.

Later at home, Henrik seemed to enjoy playing with the comet photos. This comet-on-acid -photo reveals a slight hint of tail behind the otherwise so dusty ball.

Time: 21:22
Telescope: Tampereen Ursa's Meade LX200 14" 3556 mm
30 s, f/10, ISO 3200

4.11.2007

A lot of people visited the local observatory to see the comet. When the observatory doors had closed for the public, I headed for the nearby lake Kaukajärvi to photograph Holmes high in the evening sky.

The tiny, fussy star-like comet (pointed by two lines) looked a lot different from the yesterdays' views through the telescope (on the right corner).

Objective: Canon 24mm f/1.4
13s, ISO 200, f/2.8

15.11.2007

After a long period of clouds and rain, I went to my backyard in Tampere, Finland to see how the comet was doing. It wasn't quite as bright anymore and one would find it only if knew where to look. It was still a naked-eye target and visible even in the suburb.

The image details: Five images stacked (15-45s & ISO 400-1600).
Equipment: Sky-watcher 80ED-telescope (600mm), HEQ5-mount

Camera: Canon EOS 5D

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