Be sure and check back… this article is updated as new images arrive!
In mid-July Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) was becoming an evening object, visible in sunset twilight, and brightening as it did so. The predawn apparitions were difficult for many to appreciate — visible after 4 a.m. and disappearing around 5 a.m. — but “prime time” visibility in the evening sky has members of the general public more excited.
Lake Erie offers wide-open spaces and distant horizons, with other features sometimes adding to the scene. Frank Shoemaker visited the lakefront in Lorain, Ohio on July 13, 2020 to view and photograph the comet. “I shot this {image above} at 11:15 p.m. The floodlights on the lighthouse shut off at 11 p.m. Before that its glare made the images pretty useless.” Shoemaker wrote. Technical details: Canon 5D MK 4, 135mm prime lens, f/2, 4 secs, IOS 1600. Processed in Photoshop and Lightroom.
CAA member Christopher Christie wrote the comet “was naked eye visible out over the Lake after sunset.” Until recently, C/2020 F3 was rarely reported as viewable without binoculars.
There are more challenges than simple atmospheric issues. Lonnie Dittrick writes, “Nice location but a bit challenging dodging folks walking around, car lights, and airplanes. It was fun. Image cleaned up with Photoshop.”
The beautiful picture below is by CAA member Paul Leopold taken Monday night at 10:15 p.m. He said sky conditions were excellent in terms transparency with the comet was visible from 9:45 p.m. – 11:15 p.m. DST. Technical: Olympus OMD EM5 Mark 2, 75-300mm at 75mm, f/6.3, ISO 4000, 21 seconds. He used an IOptron Star tracker Mount to prevent “star streaks.” It was post-processed in Photoshop from Olympus Raw Format image.
This next photo is by CAA member Alan Studt and shows a wide view of the comet as seen from Fairport Harbor (Ohio) Lakefront Park on Lake Erie. It was shot at 10:15 p.m. with the following specs.: Nikon D850, 4 sec., ISO 4000, 52mm, f/4.5.
Sky conditions were somewhat questionable the night of July 15 but turned out to be clear enough for comet spotting from several locations across the area.
James Guilford made a last-minute trip to Mapleside Farms in Brunswick where he encountered a nearly-full parking lot; people gathering to take advantage of the place’s expansive view of the western sky. Also in the crowd were Jon Salontay, Joe and Pat Zentner. Many of the attendees likely went away disappointed — the comet was not readily naked-eye visible, diminished in light-polluted low clouds. C/2020 F3 was enjoyable via binoculars and could be imaged so long as the photographer knew where to point the camera!
Guilford’s photo illustrates the modern battle between the beauty of the night sky vs. human activity — light pollution, in this case. He titled his picture “Purity and Pollution” with the technicals: Canon EOS 6D Mk. 2, 24 – 105mm lens @ 73mm, f/4, ISO 1600, 8 seconds, processed in Photoshop.
Jon Salontay, who was at Mapleside, wrote, “The comet showed up well in 10×50 binoculars, but could only be hinted at viewing naked eye, and only after first spotting it in binoculars. Quite a lot of the crowd left before the comet could be seen, but those that were there for the comet in the first place stayed for the show.” He made the following close-up image.
Alan Studt stayed home but recorded this beautiful suburban night scene. He wrote, “We were able to see the comet with binoculars from our back yard in Parma (Ohio, not Italy). Here’s a wide shot with Mount Alverna Village in the foreground.”
Here’s another image that looks like a painting, perhaps a water color appearance this time! Carl Kudrna recorded this image at the Dover Center park in Bay Village, overlooking Lake Erie. Camera: Galaxy s9+ smartphone.
Matt Franduto sends this next image recorded under fairly clear skies, framed by trees.
The gorgeous picture, by Lonnie Dittrick, was shot at Letha House Park West location of the CAA’s observatory. Dittrick wrote, “Took this image Tuesday night overlooking the pond by the observatory. The comet held its own for a good 45 minutes until succumbing to the gunk off to the West. It’s been awhile since I’ve been out there that late… I forgot how nice it is out there.”
Friday, July 17 brought a beautiful clear night to Northeastern Ohio and CAA members took full advantage of it.
Below, Frank Shoemaker captured a beautiful scene at Huntington Beach Park, on the shores of Lake Erie. “I shot this about 10:20 p.m.,” he wrote. “The comet was clearly visible to the naked eye. In you zoom in on the comet you can barely see the very faint second tail.” Technical details: Canon 5D Mk. 4, Sigma 50mm prime, f/1.4, 10 sec, ISO 800.
Alan Studt was able to record the faint ion tail of the comet, in addition to its broader dust tail. His technical data: Taken around 10:30 p.m. at the CAA’s observation site in Letha House Park. Made of 60, two-second exposures, 300mm, f/5.6, ISO 6400, Nikon D850, stacked in Sequator. Equivalent to a two-minute exposure.
The position of the comet also lent itself to nightscape photography and Studt took advantage of that. Below, the comet is seen in the starry sky above and still lake waters below. Taken around 10:30 p.m. and made of 20, six-second exposures, 15mm, f/2.8, ISO 800, Nikon D810, stacked in Sequator. Equivalent to a two-minute exposure.
James Guilford, also at the park site, had the same idea but was at a slightly different location near the lake. His technical info. for the picture below: Canon EOS 6D Mk. 2, single 15-second exposure at 60mm, f/4.0, ISO 1600.
More additions to our C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) article…..
Below we see an effort by Paul Leopold using an elegant rig consisting of his Olympus OMD EM5 Mark 2 with IOptron Star Tracker mount, with 75 – 300mm zoom lens. He shot at 171mm, f/5.9, ISO 1600, for 61 seconds. It was a beautifully clear “night at Letha House Park in Medina County with several CAA members viewing and imaging.”
