C/2001 Q4 Neat (May 23)

clic for 60% size 1200 x 800 (143 kB)


About this Image

Comet Neat again at very good conditions
The ion tail shows significant internal structure. The top image is a blending of star and comet aligned images.

Below there is a conventional view with a set of 10 L raws centered on the nucleus with the frames streightly averaged.

At bottom a 20 frame animation at 40% sizeshowing the continuous changing of the ion tail details within one hour. ( load to harddisk and play locally!)

clic for 100% size 1395 x 935 (221 kB)


animation 1600 kB


Technical Details
Optics

105mm TMB refractor with flattener at f/6.5

Mount MK-100 GEM
Camera SBIG STL-11000M at -25C, internal filter wheel
Filters Astronomik LRGB
Date May 23, 2004 19:15-21:15 UT.
Location Wildon/Austria
Sky Conditions mag 6 sky, high transparency, temperature 8 C
Exposure Top: L:R:G:B= 3:3:3:3 minutes (3-min sub-exposures);
Middle: L = 30 minutes (3-min sub-exposures); all binned 2x2.
Bottom: 20 x 3 min L as animation
Processing Image calibration, aligning on stars, average stacking (top); average stacked image aligned on the nucleus -stars removed in PS and blended to the first one;
average aligned on the nucleus (middle); color synthesis, DDP in ImagesPlus;
color balance, curves in Photoshop; animation in Imageready; north is up;