Object: Comet C/2004 Q2 Machholz and Friends
Date: 1/29/05
Location: ASLC DSO site near Upham, NM
Telescope: Camera piggyback on a 10" LX-200
Guiding: None
Camera: Unmodified Canon Digital Rebel using a Canon 100mm f/2 lens @ f2.5
Exposure: 15x2 minute @ ISO-1600
Processing: Non-linear Raw file conversion, registered for tight stars, and stacked using ImagesPlus.  Final processing in PS - aggressively stretched histogram to bring out faint nebula then reduced color bias in selected regions by lowering color saturation level.  Applied a light gaussian blur to comet nucleus to reduce saturation.
Comments: This beautiful comet has presented nothing but photo opportunities during the Month of January.  Machholz lies across the faint emission nebula IC 1848 and just above IC 1805.  The two nebula are collectively known as the Heart and Soul Nebula.  The Perseus Double Cluster is visible in the left part of the image.  For a larger version, click here.  Click here for a star chart of the region.

© Dave Dockery 2005