p.1 #1 · Geminid Meteor Shower and Comet Wirtanen from Nathrop, CO
I finally decided to brave the season and try to catch the Geminid meteor shower, knowing that it's routinely one of the best of the year. It was around 16 degrees went I hit the hammock at 3:30 AM, after having had two IPAs start icing up on me before I could finish them. Oddly, the ice in the cooler kept the beer warm.
Although there were not a large number of large bolide-like meteors, I did capture one that exhibited a persistent train (ionized gases) that lasted for about 5 minutes afterwards. Also caught a small meteor piercing Comet Wirtanen, which is very, very close to earth right now, though aimed right at us so no tail is visible. Out of the 900 time-lapse frames, ~250 captured meteors, about 95 of which were used in this composite.
If you're interested in more details (including closeups of the persistent train), you can find that here.
Cheers!
[Captured with a 5Ds and Tamron 15-30/2.8, 20s at f/2.8, ISO 4000; I'm ready for a 5Ds Mark II !!!!!!!!!!]
p.1 #6 · Geminid Meteor Shower and Comet Wirtanen from Nathrop, CO
Jeff, wonderful image and very nice of you to share your background story. Your hard work and loss of sleep surely paid off - especially for those of us who slept through it but now get to share in its beauty.
p.1 #8 · Geminid Meteor Shower and Comet Wirtanen from Nathrop, CO
Thanks guys, glad you enjoyed. I've always slept through it, but it may now be one I go out for, it's pretty prolific (compared to the Perseids).
Yeah, the IPAs... In thinking about it, since it was only water that froze, the beer probably got 'better' tasting. The problem was getting it out of the can!
Dec 18, 2018 at 09:48 AM
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p.1 #9 · Geminid Meteor Shower and Comet Wirtanen from Nathrop, CO
p.1 #12 · Geminid Meteor Shower and Comet Wirtanen from Nathrop, CO
BlueRidge wrote:
That is stunning! Nice testament to a Tamron lens.
It's my workhorse astro lens, and considering how wide it is, I've found no peer. This was also a first run with a Sigma 20/1.4, but I didn't use it on the 5Ds and thus don't yet have an opinion. I suspect it needs to be shot above f/2 (maybe even above f/2.2), at which point its single strength becomes dubious, at best.
p.1 #15 · Geminid Meteor Shower and Comet Wirtanen from Nathrop, CO
Jeff wrote:
This was also a first run with a Sigma 20/1.4, but I didn't use it on the 5Ds and thus don't yet have an opinion. I suspect it needs to be shot above f/2 (maybe even above f/2.2), at which point its single strength becomes dubious, at best.
I returned the 20/1.4 as it needed to be shot at f/2.5 and above to be acceptable for astro. Too bad, 1.8 or 2.0 I could have accepted, but 1/3 stop under f/2.8 to be usable? It may be that I got a bad one, but man...
