Comet 17P/Holmes

16:05 1/11/2007 UTC

This was a very intresting event in the sky. Comet 17P/Holmes brightened from 17mag to naked eye visibility last week and it was a really fantastic through telescope! I took an one hour exposure from the comet to reveal the faint green outer coma. This image is also color stretched to reveal the colors of the comet better. Stars trails because the comet moved during the exposure.

Camera: Modified Canon EOS 350D | Telescope: Skywatcher ED80 Pro 80mm f7.5 refractor, William Optics 0.8x focal reducer | Mount: Orion Skyview Pro, Boxdoerfer PowerFlex MTS-3SLP drive controller | Filters: Baader IR/UV block | Guiding: Orion ShortTube 80mm f5 refractor, QCGuider, Teleskop-Service 1.5x Barlow, Phillips ToUCam Pro II webcam | Exposure: 31x120s (1h02m) ISO200 f6, 10 darks, 12 flats, bias | Software: IRIS, GIMP | Location: 60°31'N 26°52'E (Koivula/Kotka,FI) | Image Field: 2.138 x 1.605 degrees | Image Center: Ra 03h45m18s Dec +50°36'00" |