Author Topic: In Search of ISON  (Read 2386 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Randall Kayfes

  • Weather - Photography - Astronomy - Computer Admin
  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1949
    • Arizona Kaymann
In Search of ISON
« on: October 02, 2013, 10:33:02 AM »
Set up the scope mount at 10:00 PM last night so it would be already this morning, and used the iPhone to level - huge mistake.
The iphone level was way off so subsequently I will have to try again tomorrow but her is what I got with the mount off level.

Started with some earth shine as the moon rose this morning (you can just see the tip of the Catalina Mountains).



Tenth attempt - look very hard on the left above the "d" in Randall.  At magnitude 11 it is not even close to naked eye.



Another attempt







A
« Last Edit: October 02, 2013, 11:05:17 AM by kaymann »



Offline W3DRM

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 3360
    • Emmett Weather
Re: In Search of ISON
« Reply #1 on: October 02, 2013, 12:29:13 PM »
Randall,

Looks great to me! Here is a link to an ISON article on space.com:


Don - W3DRM - Emmett, Idaho --- Blitzortung ID: 808 --- FlightRadar24 ID: F-KBOI7
Davis Wireless VP2, WD 10.37s150,
StartWatch, VirtualVP, VPLive, Win10 Pro
--- Logitech HD Pro C920 webcam (off-line)
--- RIPE Atlas Probe - 32849

Offline DanS

  • Chiang Mai weather
  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 5434
    • ThaiWx
Re: In Search of ISON
« Reply #2 on: October 02, 2013, 05:23:45 PM »
I've been ready here to attempt some shots but the past few mornings it's been raining or overcast. ](*,)

Offline Randall Kayfes

  • Weather - Photography - Astronomy - Computer Admin
  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1949
    • Arizona Kaymann
Re: In Search of ISON
« Reply #3 on: October 02, 2013, 09:45:19 PM »
Don, thank you for the consideration.

Dan, that's the other thing about Southern Arizona.



Offline DanS

  • Chiang Mai weather
  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 5434
    • ThaiWx
Re: In Search of ISON
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2013, 08:31:44 PM »
While out this morning in the wee hours I tried getting a shot of the comet in between cloud passes. No go. I did manage to see what I think you captured Randall, NGC 2903 galaxy (nice shots btw). I believe the comet is just below and to the left of this. I didn't take this shot of 2903 just copied it off a sky chart of Messier objects around the Leo constellation.
« Last Edit: October 03, 2013, 09:43:18 PM by DanS »

Offline SlowModem

  • Weather at the speed of dialup!
  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 6641
  • WX @ 26.4 kbs
    • Watts Bar Weather
Re: In Search of ISON
« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2013, 10:50:29 PM »
Dan, that's the other thing about Southern Arizona.

It's a dry rain.   :roll:
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN USA

Offline Randall Kayfes

  • Weather - Photography - Astronomy - Computer Admin
  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1949
    • Arizona Kaymann
Re: In Search of ISON
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2013, 01:52:01 AM »
Dan thank you for the correction and that would make total sense at Mag 8, NGC 2903 would fill in quite nicely.  
I am having quite a hard time finding exact coordinates for ISON.  
Looking at 2903 it looks like from "The Sky 6" that it will be down and to the right. Do I have that correct?  
Perhaps if we help each other out we can both find the nasty little bugger?

I know for me astrophotography is a thousand times harder than landscape/weather photography.
One of the hardest things for me is matching the nearby star patterns to the star charts.  
Now I can add NGC 2903 to the collection thanks to your accurate eye.

Again thank you for your time and consideration.
« Last Edit: October 04, 2013, 01:54:04 AM by kaymann »



Offline DanS

  • Chiang Mai weather
  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 5434
    • ThaiWx
Re: In Search of ISON
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2013, 03:08:29 AM »
I found a tracking chart on the Wikipedia site. Not too detailed but still helpful. There doesn't seem to be much available for this.

We're getting a break in the weather here so I might get a chance again in the morning. From my readings it sounds like a real challenge to spot. The Mars orbiting satellite caught some pics of it. Those shots aren't all that fascinating, and it was closer and in space.

There's another to try and capture, comet Lovejoy, which seems to have better maps to follow it. In fact, if your shot of Orion's nebula would have included a little more area to the left you might have caught it. :-P
« Last Edit: October 04, 2013, 04:34:35 AM by DanS »

Offline Randall Kayfes

  • Weather - Photography - Astronomy - Computer Admin
  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1949
    • Arizona Kaymann
Re: In Search of ISON
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2013, 09:22:10 AM »
Dan Thanks for your assistance and I think I got it this morning - Please ignore the really horrible tracking!!
This matches the location roughly in "TheSky6" and on my paper chart.
The tail is in the right direction as well.
The shot was 185 seconds f 5.6 at 300mm copped to probably 600mm



Andromedia the night before (set-up and test shot).



Zodiacal Light or False Dawn later in the morning.



Unable to resist the Great Orion Nebula - I did look for Lovejoy in my uncropped version but no love(joy) PI.
Got a little sattelite



Offline DanS

  • Chiang Mai weather
  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 5434
    • ThaiWx
Re: In Search of ISON
« Reply #9 on: October 04, 2013, 09:46:30 AM »
Nice shot of Andromeda with M32 and 110 included  =D> I'm jealous of your seeing conditions there.

Offline Randall Kayfes

  • Weather - Photography - Astronomy - Computer Admin
  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1949
    • Arizona Kaymann
Re: In Search of ISON
« Reply #10 on: October 04, 2013, 10:25:53 AM »
I am sure somebody else could kick fanny and take names - I am however just amateur at best....