Extreme long shot question

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Jnicholes United States of America
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Extreme long shot question

#1

Post by Jnicholes »


Hi guys,

I have a long shot question.

I was going through my astronomy photos, when I stumbled upon a photo I took of M42 Orion Nebula and M43 De Mairans Nebula. I was fiddling with my phones editing software on the photo, when something strange came up.

Here is the photo while I was editing it. Exposure was very high, I know. Ignore both Nebula and look at the bottom of the pictures FOV.
Is that a COMET at the bottom?
Is that a COMET at the bottom?


The long shot question, is that a comet at the bottom? It looks like it has a tail, and its the right color, but I am not sure.

Even if it is a comet, there's nothing I can do now, That photo was taken Feb 18, 2022. Its probably long gone by now.

What do you guys think? Comet?

Jared
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"Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude."

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Re: Extreme long shot question

#2

Post by JayTee »


First, we'd need to know your imaging setup for that image. But off hand, I would say it is either an internal reflection or a lens artifact. Sorry, it is most likely NOT a comet.

Cheers,
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
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Jnicholes United States of America
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Re: Extreme long shot question

#3

Post by Jnicholes »


Thank you. That’s all I needed to know, actually. I was really doubtful that it was a comet myself.

Just for future reference, what information do you need for my imaging set up?
Celestron Nexstar 8SE Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
25mm plossl Eyepiece
Goto mount
Iphone 11 Nightcap app Camera

"Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude."

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Re: Extreme long shot question

#4

Post by JayTee »


Jnicholes wrote: Sat Dec 10, 2022 12:50 amfor future reference, what information do you need for my imaging setup?
Scope, imaging accessories (ex, FF, or FR, or FF/FR, or barlow, etc.), and camera. That way we know what is involved in your imaging optical train.
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°

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Re: Extreme long shot question

#5

Post by Jnicholes »


The setup is in my signature, but here it is anyway.

80mm refractor
900mm focal length.
21mm zoom eyepiece (now broken)
Phone camera (Nightcap app.)
Phone to eyepiece adapter.
Celestron Nexstar 8SE Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
25mm plossl Eyepiece
Goto mount
Iphone 11 Nightcap app Camera

"Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude."

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Re: Extreme long shot question

#6

Post by JayTee »


Well, let's add up the optical surfaces. Pieces of glass x 2 (a front side and a back side).

Gear and corresponding pieces of glass
80mm refractor objective = 2
21mm zoom eyepiece elements = 4
Phone camera lens = 2
Optical surfaces the photon has to deal with is ((2+4+2)=8 x 2 = 16). And this is why we like to know your imaging setup!

16 surfaces any one of which can introduce either reflections or artifacts.

And that is why we like to take out as many pieces of glass as we can get away with. Optimally, we would like the photon to only have to go through just the objective lens and then onto the camera sensor.

Cheers,
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°

Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."

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Re: Extreme long shot question

#7

Post by nPAE »


If you go to https://stellarium-web.org/ you can put in the location and time you took the shot and it will show you if there were any comets in that place of the sky.
Clear skies!

nPAE Precision Astro Engineering
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Re: Extreme long shot question

#8

Post by chris_g »


nPAE wrote: Fri Feb 10, 2023 4:54 pm If you go to https://stellarium-web.org/ you can put in the location and time you took the shot and it will show you if there were any comets in that place of the sky.
Just checked that, there isn't anything there according to Stellarium.

Clear Skies,
Chris
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Re: Extreme long shot question

#9

Post by Jnicholes »


I already know now it was not a comet. We figured that out on December 9, 2022, when the last post was made.
Celestron Nexstar 8SE Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
25mm plossl Eyepiece
Goto mount
Iphone 11 Nightcap app Camera

"Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude."

Alfred North Whitehead
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