Yet Another Boring Astro-Photography Shot

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Comet NEAT is currently speeding away from earth back into the nether regions of the solar system. It isn't quite visible to the naked eye, though binoculars pick it up, as will telescopes, of course.

Comet NEAT was found by an automated sky searching system - the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking system, hence it's name. Ironically, another asteroid in the sky right now is Comet LINEAR, which was also found by those seeking asteroids - the Lincoln Laboratory Near-Earth Asteroid Research system.

On the nights of May 13th and 14th, Comet NEAT was passing by M44, the Beehive Cluster. So yours truly grabbed his trusty Nikon, loaded with Superia Xtra 400, his 50mm f1.4 Nikkor lens, and his tripod and took a couple of shots of the Beehive Cluster. I couldn't see Comet NEAT, but I knew I would get it on film. And here's the proof.

Amazing what you can do with a camera and a oh, so boring 50mm lens!