May 9 2004
I got my first glimpse of Comet Neat last night on the deck of the Centre of the Universe. Comets have been eluding me lately for one reason or another but through the magic of digital photography I was able to locate it in the urban night sky. Many others had already found it in binoculars and telescopes but having captured the moment in extended exposure I could see a glowing head and a hint of a tail with only a 10 second exposure. I was happy. Of course your mileage will vary depending on the sensitivity of the sensor in your camera, the speed of your lens and the time of your exposure ... but that's another story.
With my aging eyes I value the "seeing" the digital camera gives me. Tripod mounted exposures can allow you to quickly survey the sky to find that elusive object for immediate or future viewing. In the same frame I "found" M48. It's yet another tool to extending your vision, along with binoculars and telescopes.
Note: If you're viewing the comet in early May 2004 you can find it in the SW evening sky. You can see by the overview image it's location between Procyon and M48. The comet is rising higher in the sky as each day passes and of course it's getting dimmer .... no procrastination if you're trying to capture an image of it!
- David Lee
