Miguel Claro (opens in new tab) is a professional photographer, author and science communicator based in Lisbon, Portugal, who creates spectacular images of the night sky. As a European Southern Observatory Photo Ambassador (opens in new tab) and member of The World At Night (opens in new tab) and the official astrophotographer of the Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve (opens in new tab), he specializes in astronomical “Skyscapes” that connect both Earth and night sky. Join Miguel here as he takes us through his photograph “Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) during Perihelion Revealing a Glowing Greenish Coma and Long Ion Tail.”
The image shows a close-up view of comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) during perihelion, when it was at its closest to the sun on Jan. 12, 2023.
This photograph feature’s the comet’s wonderful greenish coma from glowing carbon gas and a long tail produced by the ions ejected from the icy comet’s nucleus.
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) was photographed late in the night at a distance of 108 million km [67 million miles] from Dark Sky Alqueva (opens in new tab) Observatory in Portugal, two hours before the start of the astronomical twilight.
Related: How to see the green comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) visible in the night sky now as it approaches Earth
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) as photographed by Miguel Claro in Portugal. (Image credit: Miguel Claro)
This long distance traveler not seen in 50,000 years is moving fast against the background starry sky, and on the night the photograph was taken it was located between the constellations of Hercules, Corona Borealis and Bootes, showing a faint visual magnitude of +7.3.
Although the comet will be in the closest point to our planet on Feb. 1 (known as perigee) and eventually until then could reach a naked eye magnitude, these kinds of objects are pretty unpredictable and we never know what surprises might be waiting for us.
For capturing this image, I used a Takahashi FSQ-106ED telescope at F/5 on an EM200 mount, auto-guided with a Asiair Pro wifi camera controller. Attached to this I had a modified Nikon D850 DSLR camera, which was set to ISO2500.
I took several sub-exposures of 180 seconds for a total of 29 images which then were combined for a total integration time of 87 minutes (or around 1.5 hours). Image processing was done on PixInsight 1.8.9-1 and Photoshop CC 2023 software. All of the images were captured from Cumeada Observatory in Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve, Reguengos de Monsaraz, Portugal.
Want to see comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) up close or try your hand at taking your own photos? Be sure to see our guides on the best telescopes and best binoculars that can help. Don’t forget to also check out our guides on how to view and photograph comets, as well our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography to get started.
To see more of Miguel Claro’s work, please see his website (opens in new tab) or follow his stories on Instagram at www.instagram.com/miguel_claro (opens in new tab).
Editor’s Note:If you snap your own goregous photos of comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) and would like to share them with Space.com’s readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to [email protected].
Follow us @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab), or on Facebook (opens in new tab) and Instagram (opens in new tab).
As a ‘DG’ rather than ‘DC’ lens, the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art was originally designed for full-frame Canon and Nikon DSLRs, rather than mirrorless cameras. Like a few other lenses from Sigma’s ‘Global Vision’ line-up, it has subsequently been made available in Sony E and Leica L mount options, making it natively compatible with mirrorless cameras including Sony Alpha and Panasonic S system models, although unlike DC lenses, it wasn’t designed from the ground up for mirrorless bodies.
The combination of a short 14mm focal length and bright f/1.8 aperture made the Sigma a world-first when it hit the market back in 2017. Sony followed suit a few years down the line, launching a directly competing FE 14mm F1.8 G Master lens in 2021. The Sony is the same price as the Sigma but an inch shorter, half and inch narrower and less than half the weight, at 460g compared with the Sigma’s 1,170g. Naturally, that’s a moot point if you’re shooting with anything other than a Sony mirrorless camera.
Specifications
Mount: Canon EF, Leica L, Nikon F, Sony E (FE), Sigma Full frame: yes Image stabilization: No Autofocus: Yes Lens construction: 16 elements in 11 groups Angle of view: 114.2 degrees Diaphragm blades: 9 Minimum aperture: f/16 Minimum focusing distance: 0.27m Maximum magnification ratio: 0.1x Filter size: N/A Dimensions: 95x126mm Weight: 1,170g
Key features
The key features of this lens are its ultra-wide viewing angle and fast aperture. As such, it’s particularly well-suited to low-light photography, ranging from dusk, dawn and nighttime cityscapes to a star-studded night sky. But while astrophotography features large in Sigma’s marketing of the lens, it’s also an excellent choice for architectural interiors, sweeping landscape vistas, and indoor or floodlit sports, where you want a bright aperture to maintain fast shutter speeds to freeze motion, without bumping up your camera’s ISO setting too much.
For astrophotographers, its f/1.8 maximum aperture has the instant effect of being able to do in about 10 seconds – and often far less – what normally takes 25-30 seconds. In short, it finds the Milky Way a lot quicker, and even puts it on the camera’s LCD screen.
The optical design incorporates three top-end FLD (Fluorite-grade Low Dispersion) elements and four SLD (Super Low Dispersion) elements, aiming to boost sharpness and clarity while keeping chromatic aberrations to a minimum. Following on from the Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM Art, the 14mm inherits a large-diameter precision-molded glass aspherical element at the front, with an oversized 80mm diameter. It’s a technological and manufacturing challenge that pays dividends in terms of image quality.
Typical of ultra-wide-angle lenses, the front element is quite bulbous and protrudes beyond the front of the barrel. As such, the lens features an integral hood that offers physical protection as well as reducing ghosting and flare. However, it precludes the provision of a filter attachment thread at the front of the lens.
(Image credit: Sigma)
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Build and handling
As an ‘Art’ lens, the Sigma 14mm lens is designed with the goal of ultimate image quality, without any concessions to driving down the size and weight. The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art and 85mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art lenses in the line-up are particularly big and weighty for their breed, and the 14mm follows suit. Measuring 95x126mm and weighing in at 1,170g, it’s a big, hefty lens that’s not to be taken lightly.
(Image credit: Sigma)
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The lens has a really solid-feeling construction and feels beautifully built, right down to its weather-sealed brass mounting plate. Unlike many of Sigma’s later lenses designed for mirrorless cameras, the 14mm has a ring-type ultrasonic autofocus system, rather than being based on a stepping motor. This has the handling benefit of a focus distance scale that’s mounted beneath a viewing window, and comes complete with depth of field markers which are ideal for zone focusing – a method where you can set the nearest and furthest parts of a scene which will remain nominally sharp, at various different aperture settings.
(Image credit: Sigma)
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Performance
Autofocus proved fast and reliably accurate in our tests, while the ring-type ultrasonic autofocus system enables full-time manual override. When overriding autofocus or focusing manually, the mechanically coupled focus ring works with smooth precision. Unlike lenses with stepping motor-based autofocus that have electronically coupled focus rings, you don’t need the host camera’s exposure system to be active to apply manual focusing, as no electronic power is required.
Levels of sharpness are excellent, from the center of the frame right out to the extreme edges and corners. Impressively for such a fast, wide-angle lens, they remain that way even when you’re shooting wide-open at f/1.8. Image quality is equally impressive in terms color fringing, which is negligible across the whole frame, at all aperture settings. Barrel distortion can be noticeable when uncorrected but it’s of a fairly small amount and of a much lower order than in many more recent lenses designed for mirrorless cameras, which rely heavily on in-camera correction.
Use the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 for astrophotography and concerns about which ISO setting to use pretty much become a thing of the past. Instead of trying to maximise the amount of light coming into a f/2.8 lens by braving higher and higher ISO settings (and thus battling noise in post-editing), having access to the f/1.8 chops of the Sigma 14mm means ISO can be left on a conservative setting.
Used on the Milky Way at f/1.8 for 10-25 seconds at ISO 3200-4000, the results on a full-frame Canon EOS 6D were impressive. Put simply, collecting more light gives you a lot more options. For example, a 25-second shot on a f/2.8 lens gets the Milky Way looking bright, but only after it’s been teased-out on Photoshop.
Using the Sigma Art 14mm, the Milky Way is right there in the LCD on the back of the camera, especially if the exposure time is 20 seconds or more. You can frame a shot more easily while out in the field, but the real benefit is a clean image.
Since the shutter is open for less time to capture the same amount of light, it means using a lower ISO. A shorter exposure and a lower ISO means less noise. Shorter exposures also means sharper stars with less trail. It’s win-win.
In fact, you can add another win, because its f/1.8 setting also means a shallow depth of field, so when used in daylight it’s easy to create shots featuring a clean and seamless bokeh effect. Add to that some fine detail, excellent contrasty colours, and a near-silent auto-focus, and it’s quite a package.
However, the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 is not perfect. It chronically weighs down you camera bag, which is galling if you only intend to use it occasionally at night.
The only niggle for astrophotography and nighttime cityscapes with lots of pinprick lights is that, when shooting at f/1.8, coma and astigmatism can be noticeable towards the corners of the image frame, which give stars and lights an irregular shape. Even so, it’s not overly bad and these aberrations virtually disappear if you narrow the aperture by a single f/stop.
Sample image gallery
Image 1 of 3
25 secs at f/1.8, ISO 3200, on Canon 6D with Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art (Image credit: Jamie Carter)
25 secs at f/1.8, ISO 3200 on Canon 6D with Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art (Image credit: Jamie Carter)
1/40sec at f/7.1, ISO 100, on Canon 6D with Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art (Image credit: Jamie Carter)
Lab results
We run a range of lab tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.
We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the center of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths. The tests also measure distortion and color fringing (chromatic aberration).
Sharpness:
(Image credit: Future)
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It’s no mean feat to create such a wide-angle, fast-aperture lens that’s so sharp across the whole image frame, even wide-open at f/1.8. The inclusion of a large-diameter precision-molded glass aspherical element at the front and multiple FLD and SLD elements contribute to the achievement.
Fringing:
(Image credit: Future)
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There’s only negligible lateral chromatic aberration, even at the extreme edges and corners of the frame. The lens also does very well to minimize axial chromatic aberration, which causes fringing around high-contrast transitions in front of and behind the plane of focus at wide apertures. Distortion: -2.87
There’s a little barrel distortion which can be noticeable when uncorrected in-camera or at the editing stage, but it’s of quite a low order.
Verdict
Designed primarily for Canon and Nikon DSLRs, the Sigma 14mm is also available in Sony E and Leica L mount options for compatible mirrorless cameras. Full-frame compatible, it launched back in 2017 as the world’s first lens to combine such a wide viewing angle with a bright f/1.8 aperture. We use the word ‘launched’ advisedly, as Sigma markets the lens as being ideal for astrophotography.
The Sigma records about twice as much light as any other astrophotography lens around, and as such it’s so, so useful in creating more impactful night sky photos. In fact, it’s as much about taming this light bucket of a lens as it is about getting the most out of it, and generally the best results come from using shorter exposures times and a lower ISO, which means clean and sharp images of the night sky.
It’s actually great as a general-purpose ultra-wide prime but, when shooting at f/1.8, noticeable coma and astigmatism toward the corners of the image frame put a slight dent in its otherwise excellent performance.
Read more:
• Best camera lenses (opens in new tab) to get • Best Canon lenses (opens in new tab) • Best Nikon lenses (opens in new tab) • Best Sony lenses (opens in new tab)
The Mid-Plains Community College Broken Bow Campus will host a “Get to Know Your Camera” class from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 4.
MPCC art instructor Dik Haneline will teach the class, which will serve as an exploration into a digital camera’s functions and capabilities, according to a press release.
Instruction will cover the buttons on the camera and their functions, when to use or not use certain features when capturing images, menu items and settings and how to shoot manually to maximize capabilities. Beneficial gear and equipment will also be discussed.
Participants are asked to take either a digital single-lens reflex camera, otherwise known as a DSLR, or a mirrorless camera to use. Batteries should be charged ahead of time.
Registration can be done online at bceregister.mpcc.edu or by contacting the campus at 308-872-5259.
The course is the first in a series Haneline will teach this spring. Other upcoming classes include macro photography, wildlife images, landscapes and astrophotography.
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) in the sky of Molfetta before sunrise around 6.00 AM on January 24, 2023. … [+] Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) continues to approach Earth. He last passed on Earth 50,000 years ago, Neanderthals still lived in our latitudes. The comet will be closest to Earth on February 1. The comet was discovered in early March 2022 and was initially thought to be an asteroid. Only after observers discovered the coma and tail of the object, which was then more than 4 astronomical units from the sun, was it classified as a comet. (Photo by Davide Pischettola/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
NurPhoto via Getty Images
So a “once in a lifetime” comet is “lighting up” or even “streaking across” the night sky. Yeah, really? So go outside and have a look. Can’t find it? No, you won’t. That’s because comet 2022 E3 (ZTF)—the so-called “green comet”—is indeed in the northern hemisphere’s night sky, but its faint photons are so faint that they’re not going to get anywhere near your eyes unless you have time, patience and … binoculars.
Even then, comet 2022 E3 (ZHF) will be just a smudge.
There are ways to see the best comet since 2020’s comet NEOWISE before it fizzles out in early February, but behind the wild clickbait headlines there are cold, hard truths about comet 2022 E3 (ZTF).
Here are seven things you need to know about the comet to better help you navigate the weird world of comet-hunting (and comet-hype):
1. Ignore the incredible photos on social media
Those photos that you see on social media and all over the web of comet 2022 E3 (ZTF) are taken using telescopes and cameras. Both of which are a lot more sensitive than the human eye. Astrophotography is largely done by taking multiple images of objects and stacking them together to increase contrast, brightness and color. In reality this comet is very faint—so far. It’s shining at a magnitude of about 6, which makes it visible to the naked eye only under extremely dark skies. In fact, the kind of dark skies that most people have never ever experienced. So you can forget all about seeing this, it with your naked eyes, particularly if you live in any kind of urban environment.
2. The hype has come too early
Despite comet 2022 E3 (ZTF) being incredibly faint, it does appear to be brightening, albeit more slowly than had been predicted. Currently on the cusp of naked eye visibility in dark skies, it is presently getting slightly closer to our planet as it exits the inner solar system. It will reach its closest point to Earth (at 26 million miles) on February 2, by which it’s just possible that it will be bright enough to see with the naked eye. However, that seems unlikely.
MORE FROM FORBESHave You Seen The ‘Green Comet’ Yet? The Inconvenient Truth Behind The HeadlinesBy Jamie Carter
3. You need binoculars to glimpse the comet
Since you cannot see this comet with the naked eye you are going to need a pair of binoculars. Sure, you can also use a small telescope, but unless you have a motorized GoTo telescope that can be automatically pointed at its coordinates, binoculars are the way to go. A pair of 10×50 or 10×42, or similar, are perfect. The best way to find the comet this week is to locate the Big Dipper in the northern night sky—late at night when it’s on its side with its handle pointing down towards the horizon. Locate the final two stars in that handle, Mizar and Alkaid. Put your binoculars on the stars and range them left. Look around this area and, with some luck, you will find a comet. Be prepared to say something no amateur astronomer ever wants to hear from a non-stargazer—“is that it?” and wonder what all the unnecessary hype is for.
4. You’ll need sky-charts to find it
If those general directions don’t get you anywhere then you’re going to need to resort to sky charts. Sky and Telescope has some fantastic sky charts to help you manually find the comet while Sky Live has its coordinates to punch into a GoTo telescope. As you can see by looking at the sky charts, the comet is currently moving north as it brightens, soon passing the North Star, Polaris, as it heads towards Capella (Feb. 5), and then Mars (Feb. 10-12). That is went to start looking for comet 2022 E3 (ZTF)!
5. It looks like a tiny smudge
Is it worth you spending a lot of time outside in freezing cold temperatures looking for this comet? If you have high expectations, then no, it is not. If you do manage to get eyes-on with the comet through a pair of binoculars or using a small telescope then probably your best view will be of a rather faint smudge of light. Sure, it will look different to a star, open cluster or galaxy, but it’s probably not going to impress you. That is, unless you are an amateur astronomer with all the gear, bags of time and patience, and a desire to see distant cosmic visitors with your own eyes.
MORE FROM FORBESWhen And Where To See The New ‘Comet Of The Year’ At Its BestBy Jamie Carter
6. Saying ‘green comet’ is like saying ‘black and white zebra’
Yes, photographs of comet 2022 E3 (ZTF) do show it to be green. Comets have a nucleus and a coma, the latter being a cloud of gas the envelopes the nucleus. It’s the coma that’s green and that’s typical for comets. So the “green comet” name is a bit like saying “black and white zebra.” Besides, you won’t see anything green if you get eyes-on with comet 2022 E3 (ZTF). Just black and white.
7. Ignore the ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ and ‘last chance to see’ claims
Headline writers are being extremely economical with language in promoting this comment. It’s not a lie to say that comet 2022 E3 (ZTF) was last in the Earth’s night sky during the Stone Age nor is it inaccurate to state that this is our last chance to see it. However, that applies to almost all comets! Sure, 50,000 years is a long period comet, but it’s no more “last chance” that anything else unique that happens.
Why to ignore the hype about comet 2022 E3 (ZHF)
The upshot is this: if you are a casual stargazer who only wants to see the very best and brightest objects and events in the night sky, then forget almost everything you have read about comet 2022 E3 (ZTF). Wait until early February when comet 2022 E3 (ZTF) might—just might—be bright enough to see naked-eye. Right now it’s too early for most people to go looking for a faint smudge in the northern sky.
A lucky few will have a rare glimpse of one of the solar system’s outer planets disappearing behind Earth’s moon.
Uranus, which is visible only through a telescope, will disappear behind the moon during an occultation on Saturday (Jan. 28), and people in the far north of the world and a portion of Asia will have the chance to watch it.
At least part of the event will be visible in areas of Alaska, Canada’s very far north, Greenland, Russia and Japan, according to a visibility map from In-The-Sky.org (opens in new tab). The occultation is listed at 10:28 p.m. EST Saturday, Jan. 28 (0328 GMT on Jan. 29) but visibility will vary by region.
There are no livestreams listed on YouTube yet, but if we spot one we’ll be sure to let readers know.
Related: The 12 best night sky events to see in 2023
Occultations happen when one celestial body appears to pass behind another from the perspective of Earth, although in reality, Uranus and the moon are separated by many billions of miles (or kilometers). Uranus’ average distance from the sun is roughly 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion km), according to NASA. That’s about 19 times the distance from the Earth to the sun.
“Lunar occultations are only ever visible from a small fraction of the Earth’s surface,” In-The-Sky.org wrote. “Since the moon is much closer to the Earth than other celestial objects, its exact position in the sky differs depending on your exact location.”
Uranus is the first planet with a named discoverer, as it did not come to light until relatively high-powered telescopes were available. English astronomer William Herschel spotted spotted the planet on March 13, 1781 and suggested naming it after his patron, King George III. The name “Uranus” was suggested by German astronomer Johann Elert Bode, whose observations helped confirm the newly found object was a planet.
If you miss this occultation of Uranus due to cloudy skies or unlucky geography, there’s another opportunity coming up on Sept. 29 that will be visible from portions of Canada, eastern Alaska and the western United States, In-The-Sky.org says (opens in new tab).
If you’re looking for binoculars or a telescope to see the solar system planets like Uranus, our guides for the best binoculars and the best telescopes have options that can help. If you need photography gear, consider our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography to prepare for the next planet sight.
Editor’s note:If you capture a view of Uranus and the moon and want to share it for an image gallery or story, let us know! You can send images and comments in to[email protected].
Elizabeth Howell is the co-author of “Why Am I Taller (opens in new tab)?” (ECW Press, 2022; with Canadian astronaut Dave Williams), a book about space medicine. Follow her on Twitter @howellspace (opens in new tab). Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab) or Facebook (opens in new tab).
Mercury is a rather tricky thing to see in the night sky.
The tiny planet orbits so close to the sun that the star’s blazing light simply washes Mercury out of Earth’s sight. The only time we get to see the planet is when it’s at greatest elongation, or its farthest points from the sun — that happens a few times a year.
Fortunately, we’re fast approaching Mercury’s next greatest elongation (Jan. 30), which means that the planet will be visible in the night sky for the next few weeks. And on Jan. 24, Mercury will reach its highest altitude during this Jan.–Feb. visibility period.
From New York City, Mercury will appear a rather measly 14 degrees above the horizon at sunrise on Jan. 24, according to skywatching site In-the-sky.org (opens in new tab). That’s about the width of a fist and a half out at arm’s length. That altitude is just about average as far as Mercury goes — its maximum altitude ranges from 11 to 19 degrees.
Related: Mercury: Facts about the closest planet to the sun
When it reaches its highest altitude, Mercury will be shining somewhat brightly at a magnitude around -0.2. But it’ll get brighter as it approaches greatest elongation, although it’ll start appearing lower in the sky.
You won’t have long to look at Mercury either. On Jan. 24, Mercury only rises at 5:36 a.m. EST (1036 GMT) — just about an hour and a half before sunrise. Eventually, the sun’s light will drown out Mercury in the sky.
But that brevity is true of nearly all Mercury sightings. The planet is only ever visible at twilight, alternating between morning and evening with each greatest elongation. Mercury’s next one will be on April 11 in the evening, so mark your calendars now.
To get the best view of Mercury, you’ll need to use a telescope. Check out our handy guide to the best telescopes for seeing planets if you’re in the market for a new instrument. If you’re looking to take some photos of the planet, see our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.
Follow Stefanie Waldek on Twitter @StefanieWaldek (opens in new tab).Follow us @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab), or on Facebook (opens in new tab) and Instagram (opens in new tab).
Primera salida astronómica del año. Ya había ganas. El otoño ha sido bastante malo en lo meteorológico y unido a la temporada de planetaria con Júpiter, Saturno y Marte en su oposición daba como resultado que no tocaba el equipo de cielo profundo desde las vacaciones de verano.
Pero la llegada de una masa de aire siberiano (frío continental que habitualmente se traduce en cielos despejados y prístinos) y la presencia del cometa C/2022 E3 ZTF nos invitaba a salir en busca de cielos oscuros. La cosa no pintaba bien en un principio. Cuando llegamos al lugar de observación en Toledo teníamos el cielo lleno de nubes. La meteo nos había fallado y aunque en un principio pronosticaba que se despejaría al anochecer la verdad es que tuvimos que esperar hasta las 21:00 para poder empezar a hacer algo. Eso sí, cuando se fueron las nubes se quedó un cielo espectacular ¡Pero con un frío seco que te entraba por los pies y se te metía en los huesos!
Júpiter brillaba con fuerza aunque ya algo bajo en el cielo y Orión destacaba majestuoso así que me dispuse a sacarle fotos con la Canon 600D y la Star Adventurer. Auriga, Tauro, las Pléyades y Marte muy cerca casi culminaban en el cénit y más tarde Géminis, Cáncer e incluso Leo tomaron el relevo.
Tras echar mano de los pantalones de esquí y los calentapies la cosa empezó a ser llevadera. Un chocolate caliente, que se quedó sólido como el cemento armado lo que provocó la anécdota de la noche, terminó de hacer más placentera la observación cuando llegaron los -2ºC. Lo bueno es que no había nada de humedad.
Con el equipo de astrofoto me lo tomé con calma. Ajusté bien los cables, hice una puesta en estación a la polar doble (la primera vez debí tocar la montura porque se desajustó) y una calibración con PHD2 que me dió un guiado muy bueno durante toda la jornada. El objetivo fue la Nebulosa del Árbol de Navidad o NGC2264 que no he fotografiado nunca. Debido a que empezamos algo más tarde no saqué toda la señal que hubiera querido pero me dio tiempo de hacer una ronda LRGB.
Constelación de Orión con la Canon 600D y la Star Adventurer.
Mientras la Star Adventurer y la Canon sacaban fotos por un lado y el Esprit 100 sacaba fotos por el otro tiré de prismáticos 10×50 para hacer un poco de visual. El Cúmulo del Pesebre (M44), los cúmulos de Auriga, la Galaxia de Andrómeda, el doble de Perseo, la Nebulosa de Orión son objetos que no me cansaré nunca de observar. Me transporto a lugares remotos y me quedo absorto en viajes imaginarios a través de nubes gaseosas y conglomerados de estrellas.
Luego a eso de las 00:00 empezamos a buscar el cometa C/2022 E3 ZTF que está siendo el protagonista de los cielos durante este inicio de año. Ya lo conseguimos fotografiar desde casa con la contaminación lumínica de Madrid pero queríamos hacerlo bien desde el campo. No obstante nuestra ubicación no era la idónea ya que el cometa sale por el NE y al estar en Toledo nos pillaba toda la contaminación lumínica de Madrid en medio a pesar de estar a más de 100km de distancia. Aún así pudimos localizarlo fácilmente con los prismáticos 10×50 y luego con un telescopio refractor 100/600. Con prismáticos tenía un aspecto de cúmulo globular junto a un triple dueto de estrellas con distribución idéntica (HIP 75587-HIP 75425, HIP 76509-HIP 76376 y HIP 77370-HIP 77272) que causaban una sensación rarísima, como si alguien hubiera hecho un copy-paste varias veces en el cielo.
El campo visual con los 10×50 y el grupo de estrellas peculiar. Arriba está la Galaxia de la Astilla NGC 5907
A través del telescopio si que se apreciaba algo de cola con visión indirecta aunque ni rastro de color verdoso. Durante los últimos días el cometa ha empezado a presentar anti-cola a causa de que lo vemos casi de frente. También se había producido una desconexión de la cola iónica a causa del viento solar (todo esto solo apreciable en fotografía). En cualquier caso fue muy interesante poder observar el primer cometa desde que nos visitó Neowise hace un par de años. Durante los próximos días el ZTF irá siendo visible cada noche más temprano.
Aproveché también para hacerle algunas fotos con la Canon y con el telescopio y a eso de las 02:00 dimos por finalizada la sesión. Lo suyo hubiera sido quedarnos algo más para ver el cometa más alto en el cielo pero tras 8 horas en el campo y con las baterías del ordenador ya casi consumidas no quedó otra que retirarnos. He encargado otra batería de 50.000mA porque he notado que una de las 2 que tengo ya dura bastante poco.
El cometa C/2022 E3 ZTF con la Canon 600D.
En resumen, una noche muy disfrutada, que empezó con nubes y terminó con un cielo estupendo marcando el termómetro de infrarrojos -34ºC y el SQM 21.07. Esperemos que el tiempo siga siendo benevolente y nos deje disfrutar alguna noche más del cometa.
Mercury is a rather tricky thing to see in the night sky.
The tiny planet orbits so close to the sun that the star’s blazing light simply washes Mercury out of Earth’s sight. The only time we get to see the planet is when it’s at greatest elongation, or its farthest points from the sun — that happens a few times a year.
Fortunately, we’re fast approaching Mercury’s next greatest elongation (Jan. 30), which means that the planet will be visible in the night sky for the next few weeks. And on Jan. 24, Mercury will reach its highest altitude during this Jan.–Feb. visibility period.
From New York City, Mercury will appear a rather measly 14 degrees above the horizon at sunrise on Jan. 24, according to skywatching site In-the-sky.org. That’s about the width of a fist and a half out at arm’s length. That altitude is just about average as far as Mercury goes — its maximum altitude ranges from 11 to 19 degrees.
Related: Mercury: Facts about the closest planet to the sun
Planets, winter stars and a comet in January 2023 NASA skywatching guide
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When it reaches its highest altitude, Mercury will be shining somewhat brightly at a magnitude around -0.2. But it’ll get brighter as it approaches greatest elongation, although it’ll start appearing lower in the sky.
You won’t have long to look at Mercury either. On Jan. 24, Mercury only rises at 5:36 a.m. EST (1036 GMT) — just about an hour and a half before sunrise. Eventually, the sun’s light will drown out Mercury in the sky.
But that brevity is true of nearly all Mercury sightings. The planet is only ever visible at twilight, alternating between morning and evening with each greatest elongation. Mercury’s next one will be on April 11 in the evening, so mark your calendars now.
To get the best view of Mercury, you’ll need to use a telescope. Check out our handy guide to the best telescopes for seeing planets if you’re in the market for a new instrument. If you’re looking to take some photos of the planet, see our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.
MACKINAW CITY, MICH. — Summer stargazing plans start now, as Headlands International Dark Sky Park has announced its lineup of astronomy programming for 2023.
The park will be offering free weekly educational programing from May to October. Additionally, a staff astronomer will be on-site to provide nightly observing, star tours, and assisted telescope viewing on all clear nights from June through September, as well as on weekends through October.
“There’s something for everyone in the line-up this year,” said Jamie Westfall, park manager. “We invite visitors of all ages to join us at one of our many presentations this summer, or bring a blanket and chairs any clear night; talk to an astronomer, look through a telescope, and enjoy a Pure Michigan evening under the stars.”
In 2011 the Headlands became the first place in Michigan to receive the prestigious International Dark Sky Park designation, awarded globally to spots that offer exceptional night-sky viewing as well as dark-sky protection and education measures.
The park is free and open 24/7 for stargazers. Flashlights, cell phones, or any other white light emitting devices are not permitted in the viewing area.
Note that parking is limited; park officials advise that visitors arrive in time to enjoy sunset for a better opportunity to secure a parking spot. Overflow parking is available outside of the park, but it is a one-mile walk from the viewing area. Headlamps and flashlights are necessary for the entrance into the park, but once the vehicle is parked, all white lights should be stowed as a courtesy for everyone in the viewing area.
Programming Schedule
All programs are free of charge. For event details visit MIdarkskypark.org or follow the park on Facebook at acebook.com/headlandsdarkskypark.
WED. MAY 17 AT 8:30 PM: History of the Universe: From the Big Bang to Recent History
WED. MAY 24 AT 8:30 PM: The Effects of Light Pollution on the Ecosystem
WED. MAY 31 AT 8:30 PM: James Webb Space Telescope Mission Update
THURS. JUNE 8 AT 8 PM: Comets, Broom Stars of the Night Sky with Kevin Dehne
THURS. JUNE 15 AT 8 PM – 9 PM: Northern Lights and Spectroscopy with Aurelian Balan
WED. JUNE 21 AT 8:30 PM: Introduction to Binocular Astronomy
WED. JUNE 28 AT 8 PM: Dark Sky, Fireworks and Special Effects Photography at Night with Wayne Pope
MON. JULY 3 AT 8:30 PM: Telescope Tune-Up Workshop
WED. JULY 12 AT 8 PM: Introduction to Astronomy with Angie Morthland
WED. JULY 19 AT 8 PM: Totality! Solar Eclipse 2024 with Kevin Dehne
THURS. JULY 27 AT 8 PM – 9 PM: Explore Michigan, Explore Astronomy with Norbert Vance
WED. AUGUST 9 AT 8:30 PM: Why Do We Have Meteor Showers?
WED. AUGUST 9 AT 10 PM: Headlands’ Lights Out Challenge
TUES. AUGUST 15 AT 8 PM: How Cold is Outer Space? With Kevin Dehne
WED. AUGUST 16 AT 8 PM: Basics of Astrophotography with Robert Parrish
THURS. AUGUST 31 AT 8:30 PM: Explorations to Mars
WED. SEPTEMBER 13 AT 8:30 PM: Juno – Mission to Mars
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On Sunday (Jan.22) the solar system planets Saturn and Venus will make a close approach to each other in the night sky, separated by no more than the width of a finger.
At the same time, the two planets will share the same right ascension (the celestial equivalent of latitude) in the sky in an arrangement that astronomers call a conjunction. At the time of the close approach, Venus, the second closest planet to the sun, and Saturn, the solar system’s second largest planet, will be in the constellation of Capricorn.
From New York City, the conjunction between Venus and Saturn and the close approach of the planets to each other will become visible in the constellation of Capricorn at around 5:18 p.m. EST (2218 GMT) at around 14 degrees over the horizon to the southwest, according to In the Sky (opens in new tab). Following sunset at around 5:01 p.m. EST (2201 GMT), Venus and Saturn will sink towards the horizon and will set around two hours later at approximately 6:48 p.m. EST (2348 GMT).
Skywatchers not willing or able to brave the cold January evening to see Venus and Saturn can watch the event online for free thanks to the The Virtual Telescope Project. The project’s livestream of the conjunction of Venus and Saturn will begin at 11:00 am EST (1600 GMT) on Sunday (Jan. 22)and will be available to watch online for free courtesy of the project’s website (opens in new tab)or YouTube channel (opens in new tab).
Related: See the conjunction of Venus and Saturn in free webcast on Jan. 22
During the conjunction, Venus will have a magnitude of around -3.9, with the minus prefix indicating a particularly bright object, while Saturn will have a magnitude of 0.7. The two planets will be separated by around half a degree, less that the width of the full moon in the sky, according to astronomer Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project (opens in new tab).
During the conjunction, Venus and Saturn will be so close together that the planets will be able to be seen together with a telescope. The conjunction will also be observable with binoculars or with the naked eye, though Saturn may be difficult to resolve due to the brightness of Venus.
The conjunction between Venus and Saturn marks the beginning of an exciting time for skywatchers to observe the former planet, as it marks the beginning of the evening apparition of Venus. This will see the second planet from the sun rise in the evening sky each subsequent evening, reaching its peak in late Spring by which point the planet will have more than doubled in brightness, according to Space.com’s Joe Rao.
As Venus is rising to its peak above the horizon, Saturn is following an almost opposite path reaching lower and lower points over the horizon each subsequent night and disappearing into the twilight as it does so. This will lead up to a solar conjunction between the gas giant and the sun on Feb. 16th, 2023.
If you’re hoping to get a great look at the close approach between Saturn and Venus, our guides for the best telescopes and best binoculars are a great place to start. If you’re looking to take spectacular photos of the event or the night sky in general, check out our guide on how to photograph the moon, as well as our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.
Editor’s Note:If you snap the conjunction between Saturn and Venus, and would like to share it with Space.com’s readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to [email protected].
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