Image of the day 04/08/2013

    M31 & Comet Pan-STARRS for 6 consecutive days, hims1526

    Equipment

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    Acquisition details

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    Description

    Camera: Canon 500D

    Lens: Day 1-2: EF-85mm & DSS 2x drizzle, f/4, iso 800, 60 seconds

    Day 3-6: EF-200mm 2.8L, f/3.5, iso 800, 60 seconds

    Mount: HL-1

    Filter: Astronomik CLS-ccd filter

    Software used: DSS, PixInsight, PS

    Location: Leicester, UK

    Day 2 -6 are all stacked onto day 1's. Thus form this image.

    The comet should appear to be dimmer each day, however, this phenomenon does not appear on this image because

    1) I have used 85mm and DSS 2x drizzle for the first 2 days, hence a rather low S-N ratio, whereas for day 3-5, I have used 200mm 2.8L therefore a rather hgih S-N ratio.

    2) I used f/4 for the first 2 days and f/3.5 for day 3-5, this caused the brightness difference

    3) PS technique was not so familiar for the first 2 days

    4) Number of frames for day 1-2 were <25 and for day 3-4 >40... this provides the high S-N ratio

    M31 is enhanced with a photo taken back in Sept2012 in Yinna Hill, China

    Comments

    Histogram

    M31 & Comet Pan-STARRS for 6 consecutive days, hims1526