The constellation of Coma Berenices with the large open cluster Mel 111 at top right. Numerous galaxies show up even at this wide scale and even the globular cluster M53 as the fuzzy star at lower left. This is a stack of 5 x 2-minute exposures with the Rokinon 85mm lens at f/2.8 and Canon 6D MkII at ISO 1600, blended with a single image taken through the Kenko Softon A filter to add the star glows. All with the iOptron SkyGuider Pro tracker. Taken May 24, 2020 between the clouds!
Comet 2022 E3 (ZTF) at top, as the green fuzzy star above the semi-circle of stars marking the constellation of Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown. The comet was approaching the Sun and Earth at this time (January 3, 2023) and was brightening, but even here was visible in binoculars and sporting a short dust tail and cyan-colored coma. ZTF = Zwicky Transient Facility, the telescope used to discover the comet in early 2022. The bright star at bottom is Alphecca, or Alpha Coronae Borealis. The field of view is 15° by 10°, so larger than a binocular field. This is a stack of 8 x 1-minute exposures with the Canon EF 135mm lens at f/2.8 on the Canon Ra at ISO 1600, all on the Star Adventurer 2I tracker. Shot from home just after 6 am on January 3 during a brief hour of darkness between moonset and the onset of dawn twilight. Star glows added in post with the Luminar Neo Magic Light AI filter.
Comet Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2) as it appeared Saturday night, January 10, 2015 as it was moving north into Taurus. Here is it west of the Hyades and Aldebaran (at left) and below the Pleiades (at upper left). The comet was easy to see naked eye from a dark site though it was not obvious as a comet - it appeared as a fuzzy star. The ion tail here was barely visible in binoculars. This is a stack of 4 x 1-minute exposures with the 35mm at f/2 on the Canon 60Da at ISO 1600. Tracked on the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer. Shot from the City of Rocks State Park, New Mexico. Some high clouds were drifting through, adding some fuzzy patches to the sky. However, the dark patch at the left edge is cosmic — that is part of the dark Taurus dust clouds.
