| Title: Comet Hyakutake over Clingmans Dome |
Clingmans Dome, NC, USA: March 24, 1996
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| It was a beautifully clear night. An arctic high pressure left the atmosphere very dry with a very strong persistent wind. The Great Comet, Hyakutake was nearing its closest approach to the earth as I set up on the road to the highest point in the eastern United States, Clingmans Dome. The deserted and secluded road is closed between December and April 1st every year making it ideal for night photography.
The new moon illuminated the road. The wind was coming from the east, howling behind the trees to the right; but it was completely calm where I set up my telescope. The Comet was an incredible sight through the telescope and dust and gas could be seen boiling off the nucleus. The Big Dipper constellation is located just above the Comet, which gives an idea of its size. At midnight the Comet was almost directly overhead and had a naked eye tail of at least 70 degrees!
This image was taken with an Olympus OM2 camera through a 22mm F3.5 lens, piggybacked on top of an 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, using Kodak Royal Gold 1000 speed film and an exposure time of 3 minutes. Weather Conditions: Very clear, dry, arctic high, 15 degrees F.
Item Number: 1 - M |
