Comet C/2004 Q2 (Machholz)

 

Copyright 2004 Hap Griffin

Comet 2001/Q4 also known as Comet Machholz is named for Don Machholz, an amateur astronomer who first discovered it from his backyard in August 2004.  The comet is currently brightening and is in the constellation Eridanus south of Orion (as of 12/13/04).

Updated photos of this comet will be posted here over the coming weeks.  Stay tuned!

 

 

Date/Location:    December 10, 2004     Griffin/Hunter Observatory    Bethune, SC
Instrument:    Canon 300D (modified) Digital SLR through Orion 80ED refractor, piggyback on LX-200 
Focal Ratio:   Approximately f4.5
Guiding:    SBIG ST-237 through LX-200
Conditions:    Visually clear
Weather:    51 F, slight breeze
Exposure: 1 x 5 minutes @ ISO 800 calibrated with flat frame and Master Dark frame (median combine of 9 darks)
Filters:    Baader UV/IR block
Processing:    Focused and captured with DSLRFocus.  RAW to TIFF conversion, frame calibration, alignment, Digital Development, Adaptive Richardson_Lucy deconvolution, scaling and JPEG conversion with ImagesPlus.  Noise reduction in NeatImage.

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