30th July 2020
Comet NEOWISE, unfortunately, flies definitely away from us. Meaning its brightness rapidly drops down and its visibility is below naked eye threshold. But still, it is beautiful in telescopes. Bright “head”, greenish in camera, followed by both tails, can be seen even along with some dim galaxies in Coma Berenices (Hairs of Berenica) constellation. Farewell, dimming beauty, and thanks a lot for such great sky performance! Canon 6D, Pentacon 135 mm, f3.2, ISO 800, 23x30s, tracked. Seč, Czech Republic (filtered from light pollution, moonlight and some cirrus clouds).
Dimming Beauty
27th July 2020
Comet NEOWISE faded rapidly, but still many people love to see it, even despite light pollution or birghter moonlight. Here is my yesterday’s experience with such nice couple from Kobylí, Czech Republic, watching the appearing comet among clouds from Kobylí wineyard viewpoint. They truly enjoyed the moment. Canon 6D, Samyang 24mm, f3.2, ISO 1250, 10s, single shot.
There She Is!
23rd July 2020
Not quite best composition, I know, however, last days the weather was often cloudy and so I am happy I made at least this one through the holes in coulds. Comet in the Big Dipper was just great moment. Observed from Severní, Lobendava, Czech Republic. Used Canon 6D BCF modified, Sigma 50mm, f2.2, ISO 1250, 19x30s tracked on Vixen Polarie.
Big Dipper Comet
22nd July 2020
On July 23rd, 2020, early morning 1:09 UTC, the comet NEOWISE made its closest approach to Earth, in distance about 0.63 AU (103,5 mil. km), luckily with no moonlight in the sky. Thus people truly away from light pollution enjoyed this unique moment, moreover with the beautiful summer Milky Way above heads. Such as the people on this shot, taken from a cove of Seč lake, Czech Republic. Note how long the ion (blue) tail was photographically in the sky–longer than the whole Big Dipper asterism! What a great comet. I managed to find a beautiful spot here to make a composition with “fairytale” feeling as this was–at least for me–the summer night to remember. Next time NEOWISE visits the inner Solar System in about 6800 years. Used Canon 6D BCF modified, Samyang 24mm, f2.2, ISO 5000, 38x15s panorama + Sigma 50mm, f2.2, ISO 1250, 13x30s for comet tracked on Vixen Polarie.
Summer cove and Comet
21st July 2020
Comet NEOWISE makes its closest approach to Earth this night, making it photographically truly huge in the sky. On this shot, taken yesterday 21st July evening from Klokočov, Czech Republic, despite the clouds and (removed) light pollution in the sky, ion and dust tail against the stars of “Big Dipper” make it such beautiful. I expected a lot, but this is truly far away from my expectations. Canon 6D, Sigma 50mm, f2.2, ISO 1000, 21x30s (Vixen Polarie).
NEOWISE through Big Dipper
19th July 2020
Especially photographers, but also observers under the dark skies can experience something I personally never seen before. The ion tail of the comet NEOWISE is truly long. This is another shot taken with 50mm lens back in July 19th,2020, over Seč lake and considering the bad circumstances (very cloudy, light pollution) here in the Czech Republic, I still cannot believe my eyes of what I see here. The four stars on left top belong to “Big Dipper” while the tail continues beyond. In two days, when comet gets closest to Earth, the tail should be longest. Now I only hope for clear skies. Canon 6D, Sigma 50mm, f2.2, ISO 1250, 11x30s sky, 3x30s foreground, Vixen Polarie.
Long NEOWISE’s Ion Tail
17th July 2020
This morning, on July 17th, the night sky was truly rich of objects of the Solar System. Stagrazing from Praděd mount, under its tower, I was amazed by the comet NEOWISE, of course. However, also without Mercury (below horizon) all planets to be visible to unaided eyes, Moon, and Earth, of course :). With the comet, I am pretty sure this parade will not repeat soon. Used Canon 6D, Sigma 35 mm, f2.2, ISO 8000, 74x15s panorama from tripod.
Comet, Planets and Praděd
Enjoy also Virtual Reality
15th July 2020
Quite difficult image, though, however brightness of the comet NEOWISE made it possible. Here comes deep HDR image of Kunětická Hora castle with the comet over it, like a visitor at the gates of the famous Czech historical monument, captured back in July 15th. Light pollution with strong illumination of the castle was huge challenge to finish the shot. Canon 6D modified, Pentacon 135mm 50mm, f3.2, ISO 400, vary exposures (comet tracked with Vixen Polarie) plus 3x60s foreground.
Visitor at the Gates
14th July 2020
How long is comet NEOWISE’s ion (blue) tail? I tried some deep imaging last night 13/14 July and was truly surprised: After some processing and using night sky filter the structures were out of the field of view of my 50mm lens, despite light pollution behind Suchý Vrch, Czech Republic, and also bright moonlight. Well, this comet is truly full of surprises! Canon 6D modified, Sigma 50mm, f2.2, ISO 1250, 11x60s comet (tracked with Vixen Polarie) plus 3x60s foreground.
Long NEOWISE’s ion tail
13th July 2020
Even if piece of beauty, this image, actually, shows sad reality of current civilization. The light over horizon is not dusk or dawn but harmful light pollution from cities. So if you wanna see the full beauty of the comet NEOWISE, you HAVE to take a ride away from cities to mountains. Then the view is just epic. Here the comet lies above Chrudim and Pardubice cities, Czech Republic, seen from Polanka this morning July 13th. Distant mountains are Krkonoše (or Giant Mountains) with highest peak Snežka left above the brighest city lights. Canon 6D modified, Sigma 50mm, f3.2, ISO 1250, 12x30s comet (tracked with Vixen Polarie) plus 3x30s foreground.
Comet Meets the Cities
Great Comet at Dawn
12th July 2020
EVENING: Comet NEOWISE is day by day getting better shape even in evening sky. Last night, July 12th, I was able to see it from about 10:30pm and just an hour after it was truly prominent object over Seč lake, Czech Republic. While camera was shooting, I took a ride on my boat and was so amazed by the comet’s beauty that I didn’t notice I was, actually, in camera’s view. Eventually, not quite bad composition, I think 🙂 Canon 6D, Sigma 50mm, ISO 1000, f2.5, 8s exposure.
Evening visibility of NEOWISE
MORNING: Well known comet observer Gary W. Kronk recently said: “I have observed and/or photographed over 300 comets since 1973 and this comet is now the fourth best I have ever seen. Beautiful.” After this morning, July 12th, when comet rose over Suchý Vrch mount, Czech Republic, I can only be thrilled that I didn’t miss this rarity! Canon 6D modified, Sigma 50mm, f3.2, ISO 1250, 11x30s comet (tracked with Vixen Polarie) plus 4x30s foreground.
Great NEOWISE
And here comes some detail, using same camera and settings, only with Pentacon 135mm, f2.8, 23x30s.
Great NEOWISE and Suchý Vrch
Great NEOWISE and Suchý Vrch – detail
10th July 2020
Thousand times same, but still different. NEOWISE rose over Seč lake in the morning of July 10th together with very bright NLCs–again. Well, last time it was epic, but now it is… I am speachless. Thanks to higher position of the comet (and darker sky sooner before dawn) the tail is almost twice longer to naked eyes than 4 days ago. And the display is just splendid. Used Canon 6D, Sigma 50mm, ISO 800, f2.5, 2s exposure.
Comet NEOWISE and NLCs–again
Expressions like “Oh my f… God”, “You gotta be kidding me” or “This is insane!” were so frequent this morning that you had a feeling you were somewhere among excited children in a school. This morning’s view to the comet NEOWISE over Proseč, Czech Republic, was just over all expectations after two cloudy days. Used Canon 6D, Sigma 50mm, ISO 1250, f2.5, 5s exposures.
The beauty rises
Towards the great comet
Kneel before NEOWISE
And another great moment from this morning. Friend of mine, Petr Komárek from Pardubice Observatory, was truly amazed by comet NEOWISE. On this shot, he only enjoys the view, silently, and tries to remember the last such great comet. According to his words, he didn’t nothing similar since great Hale-Bopp comet. Which is more than 22 years ago… Used Canon 6D, Sigma 50mm, ISO 1250, f2.5, 5s exposure.
Quietly amazed
7th July 2020
Comet NEOWISE is truly becoming a great comet. Even in still bright dawn sky you can easily see about 3deg long tail with naked eyes. Using 11×70 binoculars, the tail gets suddently about twice longer (12 Full Moons in a row) and who knows how long it could be in dark sky. Well, next week we probably see–Moon is moving to fainter phases in the morning skies and comet the opposite way. Higher and deeper in night. In the image, the comet rises over lights of Úpice city in the Czech Republic, captured from nearby village Svobodné. Used Canon 6D, Pentacon 135mm, ISO 640, 20s exposure from Vixen Polarie mount (for ground tracking movement stopped).
Greater Comet NEOWISE
6th July 2020
Bluish skies over Seč lake, Czech Republic, are caused by moonlight. Strange clouds crossing the skies like spider nets are the Noctilucent Clouds, caused by ice crystals on particles of meteoric dust about 85 km high in the atmosphere. This dust often comes from a comets’ tails as product of evaporatioin of their nuclei. And here we are – both phenomena can be seen on one image as bright comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) is on the left, rising in the glory of morning dawn. Canon 6D, Pentacon 135mm, f2.8, ISO 640, 2s exposure.
Morning surprise: Comet NEOWISE and NLCs
5th July 2020
Even clouds cannot make the comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) now quite invisible. This morning, observed nearby Dobruška, Czech Republic, I made it happen to easily spot in bright dawn with naked eyes like a ghostly “sausage” with bright head in bottom among clouds. When using 11×70 binoculars, it was easy to determine two streams on sides from the head. Comet was visible to naked eyes about 35 minutes before sunrise. Cannot wait for next days! Used Canon 6D, 500mm, f5,6, ISO 50, 17×15 s from a Vixen Polarie mount.
Bright comet NEOWISE
4th July 2020
How many times in your life can you say ‘I saw a comet at dawn’–and really mean it? Pretty clear skies over Proseč u Chrudimi, Czech Republic, allowed me to capture the comet NEOWISE from the ephemeral moment of its rising to moment I was able to see it with naked eyes (even if still very hardly) this morning on 4th July, 2020. Comet is now freshly behind the perihelion point, but for the next few days it should be one of brightest comets of last decade(s) to be visible from northern hemisphere. Used Canon 6D, Pentacon 135mm, f2.8, ISO 400, 5s exposures.
Dawn Comet NEOWISE over distant Eagle mountains
Dawn Comet NEOWISE
2nd July 2020
While gazing this morning (spectacular!) NLCs over Proseč u Seče, the Czech Republic, I was wondering if the comet NEOWISE could be in the view. And hopes were fulfilled! Despite not quite clear skies very low over horizon, on some subsequent shots the comet truly appeared until thick cloud covered it and then too much bright dusk made it invisible. Hard to estimate brightness, but I believe around 0 magnitude it could be! Used Canon 6D, Sigma 50mm, f1.4, ISO 400, 1/2sec, UTC ~1:40.
Comet in Morning Glare
