Observation by Alex Pratt: Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) - 2020 Jul 12
Uploaded by
Alex Pratt
Observer
Alex Pratt
Observed
2020 Jul 11 - 23:52
Uploaded
2020 Jul 12 - 14:24
Objects
C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE)
Planetarium overlay
Constellation
Auriga
Field centre
RA: 06h28m
Dec: +44°26'
Position angle: -11°44'
Field size
25° × 17°
Equipment
- Canon EOS 500D
- 18-55mm kit lens - 35mm @ f/4.5
- ISO 1600
- DeepSkyStacker
Exposure
4 x 5s exposures
Location
Leeds, West Yorkshire
Target name
Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) - 2020 Jul 11
Title
Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) - 2020 Jul 12
About this image
One of the challenges of astronomy is observing from home, with the problems of suburban light pollution and obstructed views. I have a good horizon to the NW but from N to NE it is obscured by trees.
My Leeds_N video meteor camera operates from indoors looking through double glazing, sited on a window sill in the front bedroom. The attached image is a stack of 4 x 5s exposures taken with a DSLR plonked alongside the meteor camera. The dark lines are my neighbours' telephone wires. Over the next hour or so the comet traversed the bare branches of the tree on the right.
As well as taking some 'pretty pictures' it was great to observe the comet in 10x50 binoculars which revealed details well beyond my abilities to sketch. It was also visible to the naked eye, which brought back memories of observing Hale-Bopp in its pomp.
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