Comet Machholz

Object: Comet Machholz
Date: 02 January 2005
Equipment: SXV-H9, Vixen f5.6 refractor
Subframes: 6 x 1 minute, averaged. No flats or darks.

A fairly crummy image that in hindsight needed more subs of longer exposure and flat field correction. Click to enlarge, which shows up the dust donuts and noise. High cloud rolled in just after I got set up, which is why I didn't take more subs. However, it's unlikely I'll get a chance to have a second go at this one as the next perihelion is due in the year 115470.

I caught this as it was zipping through Taurus. Through the eyepiece it was around magnitude 4 and exhibited a strong greenish colour. The above image just about shows the dust tail curving off to the northeast, whereas the ion tail can just be seen as a straight 'V' pointing away to the east (left).

The image was stacked on the nucleus, hence the trailing stars.