C/2022 E3, A First Version

[Mike Lewis]

This was such a learning experience figuring out how to capture and then process this comet that I cannot really say yet if this will be my final best result, but if it turns out to be I am pretty happy with the results. I ended up capturing comet data on 2 separate nights, with the first night predominantly captured taking longer subexposures and attempting to track the comet, and the 2nd night taking shorter exposures and tracking the stars. This image is from the night 1 data, using 3 minutes long subs. Of course, imaging this with a mono camera is a challenge, as it then needs to be combined for color, and with everything moving it gets a little more problematic. I had hours of data but with the ion tail changing visibly over shorter periods of time eventually ended up using 15 minute stacks for each of the channels (LRGB) and then batch removing the stars and stacking the comet separately from the stars. These were then post processed a little and then combined using layers in Photoshop.

I had the bad luck that my sensor alignment was almost exactly wrong to get the longest ion tail, but being in the middle of data collection for the Monkey Head Nebula as well as this, I did not want to rotate anything, so had to live with the alignment I had.

Thanks to Jim for pointing out the new version of PixInsight's Comet Alignment tool - it was very instrumental in getting an end result. I also had top clean some things up by hand since I do not yet have any flats taken since my rig has been reassembled. Anyway, here is the result, using a total of 1 hour of data in 4 channels, and using 10 darks for creation of the master dark for dark subtraction. This is obviously a composite, in order to show the comet against a starfield without trailed stars...

Comments and critiques welcome, as always...

ML

 

[JimFox]

Very cool Mike! It's great to see you got it! Even if you aren't able to get it again, this is a very high quality capture. I think I would only rotate it 180 as it looks upside down.

The zig zag ion tail looks cool I think. It gives it some interest I think. But, I can imagine with mono, since it does move around, could present a stacking issue.

 

[Mike Lewis]

Jim, good suggestion about the re-orientation, I actually meant to do that and forgot. Sometimes posting late at night has it's drawbacks

I am pretty happy with this, but it does make me want to consider a OSC at some point, or perhaps seeing how the R5b might render something like this, as for planetary and comets and the like the advantages of mono are overshadowed by the disadvantages I think...

ML

 

[Mike Lewis]

OK, Jim is helping me get this oriented properly, let's try this

ML

 

[JimFox]

Hey Mike,

I have you spinning in circles! I know I can make some people go a little crazy at times.

I think for planetary, OSC cameras are the camera of choice? I know with the comet, my using an OSC camera it made it a lot easier to get my images all at once instead of needing to change filters and recapture it 4 or 5 times with a Mono camera. So yeah, maybe picking up one those color planetary cameras could be of use to you, to use alongside your mono camera. I have looked into it a little bit. ZWO has upgraded a couple of their small planetary cameras recently.

With the power of Pixinsight, and it's continued growth and the continued innovation of guys like Lukomatico, the gap between Mono and OSC has really narrowed. I know when imaging sessions can be rare, or short, being able to capture all the detail needed at one time, can be a huge boon in productivity.

 

[Ben Egbert]

MIke nice clean work here I like the last version

 

[FMS]

Nice images!

 

[Mike Lewis]

Thanks for all the kind feedback!
@JimFox - yes, I have my eye on a 585 based color camera to use for planetary and comets and the like. haven't pulled the trigger yet, but thinking about it. It likely could have simplified this process certainly. As for deep sky, I still feel like there is too much advantage to being able to use all the pixels on the camera for each wavelength you capture, and being able to easily have separated signals when processing, so I do not see myself moving to OSC for that anytime soon...But the improvements in cameras and filters for OSC certainly have closed the gap and made it quite nice for anyone who chooses to capture data that way - lots of great results out there for sure.

 

[Alisa]

These are great!! I hope I get a chance to try and see this... such cloudy forecast. I also wanted to add I like the orientation change as well!

 

[Brian]

That’s incredible Mike.

 

[Comet Hunter]

Very nice, great job

 

[Jameel Hyder]

Very nice work Mike. Still hoping to get some clear skies to be able to see this.

 

[Mike Lewis]

Thanks everyone! Yes, crossing fingers we get some clearer weather to try to go find this at night with binoculars!

ML