# Comet ISON - solar filter?



## randym77 (Apr 24, 2013)

Comet ISON won't be photograph-able until this fall, but I'm already thinking about it.

It will be brightest when it's closest to the sun. Do you think it would be worth it to get solar filter, and try to photograph it in daytime? If so, what kind? Should I size it to fit my lens, or the lens hood?

I've been meaning to get a solar filter anyway, for solar eclipses.


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## East Wind Photography (Apr 24, 2013)

The Solar filter wont do anything but let you photograph sunspots and planet transits. A lot of hype has been made about ISON being as bright as the 1st quarter moon. While visible during the day, you have to remember that the total magnitude of a comet is spread out over the head and throughout the tail and for ISON it will be over a good part of the sky at the time. So comparatively speaking it wouldn't be as bright as the moon to the eye. What might be visible is the brightest part of the comet itself, the head, and possibly only through binoculars. Likely there will not be anything to really see during the day but best chances would be to use an orange or red filter and shoot in black and white. The red filter will counter the blue sky and maximize the contrast between sky and comet. Maybe a 25A filter would work well. An IR converted camera would be even better.

Try to focus on shooting at sunset or at night when it will be most spectacular. I am trying to get my tracking platform back in shape so I can take longer exposures...longer than 5 to 10 seconds. Just ordered a new motor which should arrive next month. I'll have the summer to test the set up and make sure it's working properly and that I can get good images when the time comes.



randym77 said:


> Comet ISON won't be photograph-able until this fall, but I'm already thinking about it.
> 
> It will be brightest when it's closest to the sun. Do you think it would be worth it to get solar filter, and try to photograph it in daytime? If so, what kind? Should I size it to fit my lens, or the lens hood?
> 
> I've been meaning to get a solar filter anyway, for solar eclipses.


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## TrumpetPower! (Apr 24, 2013)

East Wind Photography said:


> I'll have the summer to test the set up and make sure it's working properly and that I can get good images when the time comes.



This is the most important advice...practice, practice, practice.

As East Wind Photography notes, the comet, even if it's spectacularly visible, it's going to be a relatively faint object in the sky. A solar filter will render absolutely everything black except for the Sun itself. It can be a lot of fun to play with...but only if you're photographing the Sun and nothing but the Sun.

A really good way to practice would be to shoot the slimmest crescent moon you can, either right after sunset or just before sunrise. When the comet arrives, the best photographic shots are going to be when it's near the crescent moon, and it'll be roughly as bright. If you can get a great shot of a crescent moon, the comet should be just as achievable.

Cheers,

b&


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## randym77 (Apr 26, 2013)

Thanks, I appreciate the advice!

I've done a lot of night photography, but never tried to photograph celestial objects during the day. Which is probably obvious.


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