Comet Ison: How To Get A Good Photograph
Comet Ison will be passing through the sun's corona Nov. 28 and set to be visible to the naked eye Dec. 3. This is a very rare occurrence as many comets pass through the solar system but only a few grazes the corona.
The exact effect of the sun's heat and gravitational pull on Ison comet is still unknown. Dr. Matthew Knight from the Lowell Observatory in Arizona has given three possibilities of what might happen.
One, the comet will explode after emerging from the corona. Two, Ison will end up like Comet Encke which had orbited the sun 70 times since it was first observed centuries ago. Three, the sun's heat will ignite the gases deep in the comet's nucleus which will develop into a huge tail.
If and when the third scenario occurs, you might want to have a souvenir of your own of such spectacular event. Here are some tips on how to get a good photo from Space.com.
First, prepare your gadgets. Preferably, use a digital single-lens reflex DSLR camera in photographing the comet for better control on focus and exposure settings. You will also be needing a sturdy tripod to steady your camera setup.
Second, look for a place where there will be a clear view of the night sky. Stay away from the city lights.
Third, for sharp images, prefocus your camera to Mars, Mercury or Saturn. You can't rely on the comet for focusing your camera because of its fuzzy nature.
Fourth, "boost your camera's sensitivity to ISO 800 or higher." This will prevent the dawn sky from blurring your image. For more detailed shots of the comet, use a telescope or binoculars.
A comet grazing the sun's corona is a rare occurrence. Make sure to be ready to capture this phenomenon.