C/2022 E3 (ZTF) & Mars 2023-Feb-08-09-10 Dan Bartlett Inverted

Three Days Leading Down to Mars, C/2023 E3 (ZTF) on 08-09-10 February 2023 Mosaic (North is Up, west right).
This is a three day composite (mosaic), comprised of 7 2/3 degree x 5degree field each panel.
Image Info:
Rokinon135_asi294mcP
14.14"/pix
North is Up
_53x120sec_2023_02_08_201422PST
_51x120sec_2023_02_09_204109PST
_48x120sec_2023_02_10_203132PST
_JuneLake_California_USA_DEBartlett
​​​​​​​
(Note to self: Fun to do, but I'll need more planning and practice.) 24 hours separate each of the three panels as the comet moved @9.3 arcmin/hr (Feb8) down to7.4 deg/hr(Feb10). All three panels were shot with identical system using a Rokinon 135mm @ F/2.8 and capturing around 50 x 120 seconds each. Mars of course is the bright orange overexposed star like object in the lowest panel. Interesting to see the changes in brightness in the comet and its tails over the three nights, however this might be as well do to the variability of the seeing conditions and my PixInsight processing limitations.

Since the panels of the mosaic are centered nearly exactly 24 hours apart, there is a noticeable slow down as the comet separation decreases, while the comet traveled southward. Since the image scale of the mosaic has been reduced to 50%, or 14.14 "/pixel and Mars is 9.6 " in diameter (Feb10th), by interpellation, Mars would be less than 1 pixel in size if imaged purely with this system. Wouldn't be able to see the rovers at this scale.
Dan

Full resolution can be found https://astrob.in/vdwoha/B/

Photo info

Popular tags

Random image