Comet Lovejoy's Long Ion Tail
Taken by Alan Dyer on January 16, 2015 @
City of Rocks State Park, NM
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Camera Used: Canon Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Exposure Time: 120/1
Aperture: f/2.5
ISO: 1600
Date Taken: 2015:01:17 13:28:17
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Details:
These images from January 16 show just how marvellous Comet Lovejoy's blue ion tail has become, at least to the "eye" of the camera. It now stretches back at least 15°, perhaps as much as 20° with averted imagination! :) Visually, the tail is easy to trace in binoculars at least 5° to 8°, though only in dark skies. I shot these from the City of Rocks State Park in New Mexico under near-perfect skies. These are stacks of 2-minute tracked exposures. One is with the 24mm lens and includes silhouettes of the rock formations and trees. The other is with a 50mm lens and is turned 90° so the comet is "pointing down," perhaps a more "natural" orientation for casual viewers. However, in that photo north and "up" in the sky is to the left.
Photographer's website:
http://www.amazingsky.net
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