2023p1 20230826 dbartlett

Comet C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) Tracks up the Ridge of Down's Mtn, 2023-08-26.  58 x 20 second exposures were stacked together on brightening comet Nishimura.  I aimed the scope on the Down's Mtn ridgeline prior to the comet rising and tracked the area of the comet for each of the 20 second exposures hoping the focus would hold (from earlier session on C/2020 V2 ZTF previously posted). As twilight became excessive, reaching my exposure limit, the comet had risen a little over the 20 degrees altitude thusly exceeding the 18 degree altitude of the 9764ft peak of  the Mountain.  (For those Galaxy fans in the room, NGC 2503 holds some interest above center.) Comet P1 Nishimura has brightened significantly since my early days of imaging.
 
Observational details:
Backyard setup
scope: C14 D = 356mm; fl =729mm; F# 2
camera: asi 2600mcP
exposure: 58 x90 sec
Seeing: 3/5
Transparency: 8/10
Observer: DEBartlett
Location: June Lake, California, USA
 
Image Info (except starless which is @ 1.06'/pix):
Projection ............... Gnomonic
Projection origin ........ [1502.663229 1003.379217] px -> [RA:  8 00 22.882  Dec: +22 37 29.75]
Resolution ............... 2.129 arcsec/px
Rotation ................. -2.472 deg
Reference system ......... ICRS
Observation start time ... 2023-08-26 11:54:08 UTC
Observation end time ..... 2023-08-26 11:54:28 UTC
Geodetic coordinates ..... 119 04 46 W  37 46 30 N  2357 m
Focal distance ........... 728.63 mm
Pixel size ............... 7.52 um
Field of view ............ 1d 46' 37.0" x 1d 11' 12.5"
Image center ............. RA:  8 00 22.882  Dec: +22 37 29.75  ex: +0.000151 px  ey: -0.000030 px
Image bounds:
   top-left .............. RA:  8 04 07.607  Dec: +23 15 03.51  ex: -0.042914 px  ey: -0.084457 px
   top-right ............. RA:  7 56 24.619  Dec: +23 10 33.55  ex: -0.000692 px  ey: -0.001412 px
   bottom-left ........... RA:  8 04 19.517  Dec: +22 04 01.18  ex: -0.001699 px  ey: +0.000210 px
   bottom-right .......... RA:  7 56 40.106  Dec: +21 59 33.68  ex: +0.001054 px  ey: +0.002892 px