Comet C/2020 M3 Atlas in emerald green color passes by the main colorful nebula of the Constellation Auriga in this image captured and processed from Grand Mesa Observatory on 12/8/2020 by Terry Hancock and Tom Masterson. This image was captured using QHYCCD’s latest offering the QHY410C Back Illuminated Full Frame one shot color CMOS camera that we have the honor of testing.

The main nebulae in this image are the Flaming Star Nebula (IC 405) the comma shaped red and white/purple nebula to the top and right along with the Tadpole Nebula (NGC 1893) located to the center left. Comet C/2020 M3 Atlas is seen almost ‘touching’ the Tadpole Nebula in this image. Distance-wise Comet C/2020 M3 Atlas was a mere 3.74 light-minutes from Earth when this image was captured while the Flaming Star Nebula is about 1,400 light-years distant and further still is the Tadpole Nebula which is roughly 12,400 light-years away.

Technical Info:
Total Integration time 3.3 hours
Location: GrandMesaObservatory.com Purdy Mesa, Colorado
Date of capture: December 9th, 2020
Color RGGB 200 min, 100 x 120 sec
Camera: QHY410C Back Illuminated Full Frame Color CMOS
Gain 0, Offset 76
Read Mode: High Gain Mode
Calibrated with Dark, Bias and Flat Frames
Optics: Takahashi E-180 Astrograph
Image Acquisition software Maxim DL6
Pre-Processed in Pixinsight
Post Processed in Photoshop