Joined: May 2004 Gender: Male Posts: 4,634 Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA, Earth,
Comet McNaught Photographed in Chicago... « Thread Started on Jan 10, 2007, 1:28am »
Comet McNaught Observed and Captured Under Chicago Skies 09 January 2007
Somethings are expected, planned and a good session comes out of it. Other things are just a great treat that it becomes memorable.
Comet McNaught is one of those things.
I first read about this comet's discovery sometime ago, but never...ever thought it would be as bright and clear as I have seen it from downtown Chicago.
It's been cloudy here in the city for sometime, but Tuesday afternoon found some sunshine breaking thru the clouds in the early afternoon, and I hoped for some clear skies to try and catch the comet. Clear sky clock said a clear night was in store for us, and I observed to the west the mass of clouds breaking up.
I sprang into action.
I gathered my camera, warm clothes and called Chicago Astronomer Bill to see if he would join me in a comet session. (Bill already caught the comet from the roof of a local Target store parking lot last Sunday). I met him in the parking lot and set up the camera and Bill brought along his grab-and-go 90mm refractor.
It was still early, about 4:45 pm and the sun was fast setting. Venus was not out yet, but the sunset was pretty.
Venus can be seen to the left and right of center is Altair. Comet McNaught is there...somewhere.
Bill has sharp eagle eyes and shouted out that he spotted Comet McNaught naked eye. My being so near-sighted, I could not, and grabbed my 10x50 binoculars. And sure enough...there it was!
It was still rather bright, but the unmistakable coma and tail was observed from the roof of the Target parking lot. I started to shoot images, while Bill trained his scope on the comet.
As the minutes ticked by, the comet became more and more evident in the western Chicago sky, brightening, but also sinking quickly. There was a condo complex potentially in the way of the setting comet which might hinder the view and occult it.
Binoculars showed a great bright coma and magnificent tail display - fanning out away and a yellowed hue.
The skies were now darkening nicely, with the clouds thinning, but occasionally some smaller blocking the view.
Here the Metra train blurs while the skies darken
Zooming in on the comet, it was bright enough to display sharply in the Canon S3 LCD screen. Quite cool! I had not seen quite a display since the mid-90's when comets Hyatake and Hale-Bopp made their grand appearances. But this comet was in some ways better, as it is significantly brighter and more dramatic. As it's diving in between the Earth the sun, this results in a spectacular showing...and it's going to get better!
The winds were blowing fiercely, and shaking the camera's tripod. Many shots were unusable, but some great images came thru. Bill and I stayed for about an hour and the session ended when the comet dived behind the condo complex and was lost.
We ventured inside the store to partake in warm beverages and recount our experience with the comet. Bill said it was much brighter now than when he saw it on Sunday evening.
I desire to bring out the reflector or the dob to catch it next time, but it was just too windy for any serious observing time with the telescopes.
I will make all efforts to catch Comet McNaught again and again in our murky Chicago skies till it goes south...but man, what a great evening of comet spotting already!...
Joined: May 2004 Gender: Male Posts: 4,634 Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA, Earth,
Re: Comet McNaught Photographed... « Reply #1 on Jan 10, 2007, 2:08pm »
Rough Comet Locater
I have been receiving emails on where to look for Comet McNaught in the western skies. Here is a rough illustration:
Brightness and size of the objects have been exaggerated
Scan the lower skies to the right of Venus and below Altair. The comet is only about 10/15 degrees above the horizon, so use an extended fist outstreched to help locate it. Place your pinky on the horizon and your fist equals about 10 degrees
Start looking right at sunset, as this comet is brightening quickly, it probably can be spotted right away naked eye. Use binoculars to confirm and makes a good target for photography.
Work quickly, as the comet rapidly sets in the atmospheric muck, and you only get about an hour of observational time.
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." Oscar Wilde 1854-1900
atomant Chicago Astronomer Apprentice member is offline
Joined: Jul 2005 Gender: Male Posts: 74 Location: chicago, il
Re: Comet McNaught Photographed... « Reply #2 on Jan 10, 2007, 8:15pm »
Hi Joe,
I couldn't resist...I went back to the Target parking garage today to catch this sweet comet. Tonight the skies were a bit more mucky as the wind was not as brisk as last night. Holy cow, there it was hanging ever so close to the horizon. I must thank my optician for a great pair of glasses. I switch over to my 8x30 binos. Finally to my little 60mm grab-n-go refractor. This time I remembered to pack my digital camera....unfortunately I forgot a memory card. It was already past 5pm. I quickly dashed into Target to pick up an old style CF card. Where the heck is the electronics section!??!! One more floor up, yikes! Minutes tick as I wait desperately in line. Where are the self check out lines!??! I barely made it out to catch a few shots of the comet hugging the building tops.
Joined: May 2004 Gender: Male Posts: 4,634 Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA, Earth,
Re: Comet McNaught Photographed... « Reply #3 on Jan 10, 2007, 11:30pm »
Quote:
This time I remembered to pack my digital camera....unfortunately I forgot a memory card. It was already past 5pm. I quickly dashed into Target to pick up an old style CF card. Where the heck is the electronics section!??!! One more floor up, yikes!
LOL!!!!
Oh Bill...
I too had a session with the comet, but this time at the Adler Planetarium, as there was an asteroid lecture to sit in on. John Napoletano joined me for a bit, and he was quite impressed with the comet, but it was sure damned cold and windy!
It was easily seen over Soldier Field, but not as good as last night's session in the parking lot. Lot of hazy low-laying clouds to interfere.
I took some pics, and I'll post them in a bit later on tonight.
Joined: May 2004 Gender: Male Posts: 4,634 Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA, Earth,
Re: Comet McNaught Photographed... « Reply #4 on Jan 13, 2007, 3:36am »
Comet MacNaught Photographed - Day II
On Wednesday the 10th of January, after a great evening of capturing Comet McNaught the night before, I set up the Canon again to pose the comet. I had an asteroid lecture later in the evening at the Adler, but I couldn't miss out on trying to image the comet once again.
Setting up on the south observation terrace of the Adler, I used part of the building as a wind shield, as it was howling off the lake something fierce. Aiming over Soldier Field and with the heating smoke of the stadium obscuring the comet, I started to snap away.
This evenings showing was not as dramatic as the evening before, as we had a layer of thin clouds to the west, but regardless still quite cool.
I used a Canon Powershop S3 with good success, but as the comet sank lower to the west, it became dimmer, fainter and eventually slid behind that building to the north of the stadium.
I am pleased I had the chance to take two evenings worth of images of the comet, don't know when we will have another bright "surprise" comet!...
Joined: Nov 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 257 Location: Valparaiso, Indiana
Re: Comet McNaught Photographed in Chicago... « Reply #5 on Dec 10, 2009, 10:45am »
Wow, this was about 6 months before I really started noticing the sky on a nightly basis, but how the heck did I miss McNaught? It wasn't like I NEVER looked up.
Lulin early this year was my first comet as an astronomer, but I was disappointed it didn't reach naked eye visibility, because some of my out-of-state friends wanted to see, and didn't have telescopes.
Joined: May 2004 Gender: Male Posts: 4,634 Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA, Earth,
Re: Comet McNaught Photographed in Chicago... « Reply #6 on Dec 12, 2009, 3:07am »
Paulie...
Heh...
It's been awhile since I visited this thread and reviewed my pics and narrative. I dig them.
Each astronomical session has a feeling and an association - some good...some bad...and I was deep in heartbreak at this time. The ancients believed that the appearance of a comet in the skies was a sign of unpleasant times.
For me it was, but I still enjoyed this comet over any others I have seen...even the most recent Comet Holmes that brightened dramatically in Chicago skies.
Ever since when I first read about Comet Halley as a kid in single digits, I anticipated it's return in 1986. With great images and accounts taken in 1910, it was going to be great I thought.
It turned out to be a dud and I was greatly disappointed.
The four great comets since made up for it...
With my newly acquired C11, we can seek out faint comets now - and with the new digital setting circles I installed - should be a snap.
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