Tutorial:
Comet photography planning

Content:

1. Introduction
2. My travel equipment
3. Example setup for the C/2019 Y4 Atlas comet
4. Example of FoV with different lenses and telescope
5. Setup CdC for comets
6. Display and print a chart
7. Maps 2020 comet C/2019 Y4 Atlas
8. Maps 2020 comet C/2020 F8 Swan

Note:
I take no responsibility or liability for what are written here, you use the information at your own risk!

3: Example setup for the C/2019 Y4 Atlas comet

Now in April 2020 we are drawing plans for a photography tour and catch the comet C/2019 Y4 Atlas. One of the brighter since long time ago. We are planning to use both our cameras on my travel mount Star Adventurer.

• Canon EOS 6D
• Canon APO 300 mm f/4
• Canon M5
• Tokina 70-200 mm f/5.6
• Two intervalo meters:
• Two anti dew

This is only a short summary over my equipment.

Information about comet C/2019 Y4 Atlas:

• http://www.aerith.net/ comet/ catalog/ 2019Y4/ 2019Y4.html (Seiichi Yoshida's homepage)

The setup:

With two cameras and telephoto lenses on the light Star Adventurer mount it's on the limit. One of the cameras act as a counter weight and we save some kilograms. The Manfrotto tripod the mount stands on is special built, I have cut the legs to make it more stable and lighter. The central column is also thrown away. Here is more information about the modification of the Manfrotto tripod.

The Canon M5 camera to the left and the Canon 6D with the Canon 300 L f/4 lens. A 300 mm lens on this mount is much, but the comet is close to the North Polaris star and the motion is slow because of that. On the floor a red torch and an angle viewer to the pol telescope. Wrapped around the lenses are the anti dew heater bands.

The two intervallo meters that control the exposures of the cameras. The white thing on the left and the black on the right are USB-backup batteries that power the heating band on the lenses to prevent dew.

The 90 degree angled viewfinder help a lot when adjusting the mount to correct angle. We live at the latitude 60 degrees so the polar scope point almost straight down. More about the angled viewer.

We plan to use this equipment during April and May. In May maybe the comet with its tail is longer and we can then use shorter focal length lenses which is much easier to work with.