The Hale-Bopp Comet

Every hundred years or so a comet like this comes along. This is beyond doubt the most photographed comet in history. Here are some morning shots taken in February at about 5:00 AM from my back yard.

The above shots were taken with a stationary camera using Kodak Gold 1000 film for 1 minute exposure. It's a little difficult to see the tail because it was early and the exposures are a little short. I used a 50mm lens at f/2.8 for these shots.

A closeup of the comet. Notice how the tail in these morning shots is to the left (North).

As March approached and with it the comet drawing closer to Earth, I was able to take some evening shots. As I am a late night person, this suited my personality much better.

To see these pictures, see our Evening Shots

April brought the peak of the comet and my skills as an astrophotographer improved too. If you want, jump to my Latest Photos.