Comet C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy)

A quick image from last night of the comet.
While looking for it the last few nights, I'm not sure if this is just my binos, but it looks like a big fuzzy ball about the size of M45 in my 20 x 80's. I actually had to look up online to make sure.

This is a stack of 27, 20 second shots on a canon 60d unmodified. 100mm f2.8 lens at 2.8. ISO800.
Tracked on astrotrac (wedge and pillar).

You can just see the tail. very little processing on this. I'm going to try with an 80mm f6 APO over the next few days.

I would love to see that shot Dave with the 80mm apo ! I hope you get it , it's a lovely sight!!

Keith..

I tried , oh did I try. The 80mm plus the dslr is on. The edge of what the Astrotrac can do. And as you know it's hard to frame at that focal length. After 40 mins trying to locate and frame the comet, I found I could not get a guide star into the 60mm guide scope. So I aligned as best I could and got 30 seconds with little trailing. Guess what happened, it started to snow!

Will have another pop tonight if clear, but I think I was up near 600mm which is too close . Oh my kingdom for a 200mm L lens.

Yeah not so easy at the edge, I got caught for some hazy clouds with a little snow, maybe tonight ??

Keith..

manic_dave wrote: I tried , oh did I try. The 80mm plus the dslr is on. The edge of what the Astrotrac can do. And as you know it's hard to frame at that focal length. After 40 mins trying to locate and frame the comet, I found I could not get a guide star into the 60mm guide scope. So I aligned as best I could and got 30 seconds with little trailing. Guess what happened, it started to snow!

Will have another pop tonight if clear, but I think I was up near 600mm which is too close . Oh my kingdom for a 200mm L lens.

I have a lot of trouble focussing my 70-200 lens. Mind you I have the f4 version so 65mm or so lens at the front, not exactly a light bucket.

My best success with Lovejoy was with a DSLR and an Orion short tube 80. Usually my guidescope; for Lovejoy I used the SCT as a guidescope which was an interesting experience - took me a while to even get phd to calibrate it properly.

Anyway 21x3min, lots of darks and flats, DSS and CS2:

My 2 attempts over the last few nights, a lot of technical issues and clouds but there is still time!

Skywatcher 200PDS (1000mm)
Canon 1100D
4X 45s ISO 1600
Dark, Bias, Flats
Reg in DSS, stacked & processed in PI

Skywatcher 200PDS, Canon 1100D
3X60s ISO800
Darks, Bias & Flats
DSS + PI + CS5 processing