This has been visible for a week already and it is only now that i was able to see it and take hurried shots of it. sorry for the quality i was experimenting with different settings so i was only able to take a few shots before it faded away into the night sky.. plus my vantage point (just in front of the the house) is not the best -- the view blocked by trees and other houses.. hehe.. this is said to be the brightest comet in 40 years!

You can read more about this comet here: http://www.sydneyobservatory.com.au/blog/
spectacular pictures here: http://msowww.anu.edu.au/~rmn/C2006P1.htm (http://msowww.anu.edu.au/%7Ermn/C2006P1.htm)

and http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/hotshots/

"Comet 2006 P1 is the brightest comet since Comet West in 1975. Discovered in August 2006 by Australian astronomer Rob McNaught, it is now so close to the Sun that it can be seen in images from the SOHO spacecraft stuying the Sun."

f/5.6 12.9sec ISO 800
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f44/jdael2005/012007/DSC_5877.jpg

f/11 8.8sec ISO 800
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f44/jdael2005/012007/DSC_5879.jpg

f/8 7.4sec ISO400
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f44/jdael2005/012007/DSC_5880.jpg

f/8 2.6sec ISO 1600
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f44/jdael2005/012007/DSC_5884.jpg

f/8 5sec ISO 1600
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f44/jdael2005/012007/DSC_5885.jpg

i'll try to shoot more photos tomorrow.. :)

Thanks for sharing Jonathan!

You might want to try setting the shutter speed for at least 30 seconds @ f/4.
Use a focal length of around 50-85mm. The comet will fade significantly during the next days and will worsen as the moon brightens in the coming days. You might have better luck than I do as the weather here has been crap since Saturday.

I just found out about that comet has significantly brightened on the 19th after seeing it on the newspaper. By the time I've read about it the comet had already set. Damn GarageBand! I'm never gonna spend too much time on it again.

After waiting two nights for the weather to clear I was able to photograph it tonight.
Here's my share:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/365798654_843b16f3b5_o.jpg
ISO 100, 2secs @ f/4, 200mm -cropped sides

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/181/365798655_699deb62c5_o.jpg
ISO 800, 30secs @ f/4, 70mm

Nice captures guys. I wish I've known about this earlier.

wow nice capture bernard! i never tried going for longer exposures kasi when i saw my first shot, kala ko magiging parang star trail ang labas when i use longer exposures. so i limited myself to shoot it as fast as i can with the comet still being round. the weather here was also crappy the last few days so i can't get a clear enough shot..

@ zandy -- thanks

jonathan,
you might want to drive west of sydney where it's darker and free of light pollution. The best time to photograph it is from 10pm. Star trails will be visible once you go past 45 seconds on 17mm. With a 50mm, it will be visible at around 20 seconds.

If you have a 50 1.8 use it and set the exposure at 30 seconds @ f/2 on ISO 400.

I got a bit lucky with the weather tonight with the sky clearing just enough for me to photograph the comet. Although fading rapidly, it's still a spectacular sight with its tail spanning 10 degrees in the night sky.

Two more images both shot on ISO 400. Thirty seconds @ f/2 :
http://www.bernardbilledo.com/gallery2/d/5774-2/mcnaught-070123-0033.jpg


http://www.bernardbilledo.com/gallery2/d/5779-2/mcnaught-070123-0035.jpg

You are lucky to get some shots! At where I live, it was either raining or there's lots of clouds for two weeks! :Angry:
I wish there'll be another one.

G'day mate!

great shots Bernard! Were you tracking the comet? A friend in Southern Cross also had similar pixs.

@ regie and chelo -- thanks!

chelo,
Your friend's in the Southern Cross? Where's that?

Bernard,
Those are beautiful! I wish we could see it from this side of the world. =B)

Cheers,
Norman

Hi Bernard! Southern Cross - western Australia... like the town's name also - he is also into astrophotography

Chelo

@ Norman - Thanks!

Hi Bernard! Southern Cross - western Australia... like the town's name also - he is also into astrophotography

Chelo
Thanks for the info Chelo! I'm sure they have better weather there. The weather here's been bad for 3 days now and we're gonna get more of the same during the weekend.