Comet Neowise

Fabulous photo by the intrepid Mike Rego of Comet Neowise.

Mike writes:

This is the view on Monday 20th July of Comet Neowise over North Bovey, at about 11:45pm. 

I have never really tried astrophotography before, it is quite a challenge! Without a star-tracking device, it is difficult to avoid star trails, and also quite hard to focus the lens in the dark. Plus it is cold sitting around in the dark fiddling around with the camera controls by torchlight. And just as you get it about right, a car drives through the village with headlights on full beam, upsetting the exposure, or an aircraft or satellite flies across the field of view leaving more light trails, or the minor breeze is enough to shake the camera to make everything blurry! Anyway, I had to give it a go as I probably won’t be around the next time that Comet Neowise flies past planet Earth. I think I’ll stick to daytime for taking photos, it’s much easier.

30 second exposure at f2.8, ISO 1600, 32mm focal length.

Mike retains copyright over this image.