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Crescent Moon, Earthshine;
Comet C/2013 US10 (Catalina)

Posted: 13 January 2016

Open: Tuesday, 12 January 2016, 1806 MST
Temperature: 51°F
Session: 906
Conditions: Clear, breezy

1812 MST: viewed the crescent Moon, 83X. Then set up for 8" telescope prime focus imaging with the D7200 DSLR. Attached the camera using the TPO 2" to T-Thread Adapter. This is a 1/320sec, ISO 2500, exposure:

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And Earthshine, 10 seconds, ISO 400:

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I then removed the DSLR from the telescope and using the 18-140mm lens took this handheld, full-frame, photo of the crescent Moon and Earthshine, f/5.6, 1/5sec, ISO 4000, FL 140mm:

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1828 MST: the western sky, crescent Moon, and Earthshine, D7200 DSLR, handheld, f/5.6, 1 second, ISO 4000, FL 30mm:

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Next, I took these photos of the Moon and Earthshine using the iPhone 6s Plus, handheld, afocal 83X:

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1842 MST: synced the observatory clock to WWV. Took a final look at the Moon, 83X.

Close: Tuesday, 12 January 2016, 1851 MST
Temperature: 44°F
Session Length: 0h 45m
Conditions: Clear

Wednesday, 13 January, I got up early to view and photograph Comet C/2013 US10 (Catalina). 0352 MST: using 7x50 binoculars I viewed the comet at the end of the handle of the Big Dipper. It was a faint fuzzy dot; no tail was visible. I then mounted the D7200 DSLR on a photographic tripod and began a series of photographs at various exposure settings and focal lengths. This first photo, full-frame, f/4, 15 seconds, ISO 6400, FL 30mm, shows the Big Dipper and the comet:

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This next photo, f/5.3, 10 seconds, ISO 12800, FL 80mm, shows Mizar and the comet:

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This image is cropped from the full-frame (6000x4000) photo, f/5.6, 5 seconds, ISO 25600, FL 140mm, and shows the comet at the center:

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