wide field astrophotography
First discovered in January 2023 by the Purple Mountain Observatory (China), Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) is thought to be leftover material from the formation of our solar system. It is made up of dust, rock, and ice, and is nearly two miles in diameter. Its tail of dust and gasses extends for tens of millions of miles.
Originating in the Oort Cloud, it will be another 80,000 year before it returns. (Laying far beyond Pluto, the Oort Cloud is a giant spherical shell surrounding our solar system. It is believed to contain billions, or even trillions, of objects.)
Camera: ASI2600MC | Scope: 749mm Askar 107PHQ | Exposure: 1hr 30 min | Date: 2024-10-23
Captured from the E.S. Fox Observatory on the Bruce Peninsula
The close up image above was captured using a small refractor telescope and CMOS astro camera. The wider angle images below were captured using standard DSLR cameras and lenses.
Nikon D750 | Sigma Art 70-200mm (@200mm) | 25 min, 55sec exposure | 2024-10-17
Captured over Sauble Beach on Lake Huron
In addition to the usual comet tail, if you look close you will notice a faint, downward or sun-directed tail, which is called the anti-tail. This phenomenon “happens because the space geometry – or relative positions of the Earth, the comet and the sun – lets us see sunlight on larger particles left behind by the comet in its orbit. From our perspective, these cometary particles are being lit by the sun from behind. Meanwhile, the main or brighter tail that we see is caused by the dust and lighter particles being blown away by the intense heat from the sun.” [1]
Nikon D750 | Sigma Art 24-70mm (@38mm) | 4 min, 45 sec exposure | 2024-10-17
Captured over Sauble Beach on Lake Huron. Notice Venus setting over the horizon.
