The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
The current comet, C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, was finally visible in our evening skies. The previous 2 nights there was too much light after sunset until it went below the tree line from our house. Tomorrow and for subsequent nights it will be higher (to the upper left) and thus in a darker sky, but it will also be moving away from us and the sun. I could barely see it but the camera managed, and the tracker finally found enough stars to navigate by and latched onto it. (I’ll process those tomorrow. Comets are a chore to work with because in the acquisition time of getting as many exposures as you can they move relative to the stars, but clever people have figured out a way to separate them.) More shots to come in the next few evenings.
Specific Feedback
All comments welcome!
Technical Details
Just a little contrast increase and Topaz Denoise. Full frame.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Nice! I like the foreground as it give the overall photo some context. I can just see the anti-tail in your photo. I was specifically trying to get that in my photo.
Thanks, @SandyR-B and @Youssef_Ismail! I might be able to get the anti-tail better tonight, as there will be a little less ambient light. I could see it on the iPad as the astro rig was shooting, but the whole thing is quite diffuse. Then it will not be visible as the we cross out of its orbital plane.
Some notes on it from Earth Sky News:
“Comet A3 also has a rare anti-tail pointing toward the sun. An anti-tail appears as Earth crosses the comet’s orbital plane, as it has been since Sunday and will be through this evening. The relative positions of the Earth, the comet and the sun lets us see sunlight on larger particles left behind by the comet in its orbit. From our perspective, these cometary particles are being lit by the sun from behind. Meanwhile, the main or brighter tail that we see is caused by the dust and lighter particles being blown away by the intense heat from the sun.”
I love the info you’ve all been sharing; I always imagined that the comets tail was trailing behind it, but I guess it all depends on where the sun is relative to the comet!
I love that you caught the anti-tail too, and look forward to your upcoming shots.
