C/2004 Q2 Machholz

Saturday night, January 8 2005, Comet Machholz high in the night sky passes the Pleiades (M45). Also visible in this shot is the California Nebula upper right and the Hyades open cluster on the left part of the picture.

This was the first clear night since the start of the new year for eastern Kansas. However the sky conditions were not good with intermittent thin clouds, terrible transparency, and poor seeing. Despite the conditions the comet was a delight to see glowing next to the Pleiades.

Click Image below for larger version (1024x742).

Photograph Information
Date	2005.01.08 22:05 - 22:30 CDT
Location	West side of the Cemetery outside Cassoday, KS
Telescope	OM1 camera piggyback on G11 mount, 50mm lens at f2.8
Film	Supra 400
Exposure	Composition of 2, 10 minute exposures
Notes	Cropped and resized slightly from original image. 27°F, 98%rh Location used for picture was somewhat light polluted. It was not possible to reach our regular dark site in the Flint Hills as 3/4 inch of ice made back roads impassable.