Comet ·
☄️When C/2025 R3 Passed Through Orion
⏱️ 8-10 min read
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Having missed capturing C/2023 Tsuchinshan Atlas in 2024, I made it a mission to not miss the next comet. Fast forward to 2026, we have C/2025 PANSTARRS, although not as bright nor visible to the naked eye in comparison, I knew I had to get it.
What enticed me most about this comet is that it is flying by the Orion region which is a spectacle to capture by itself.
📝
Planning the shot was fairly straightforward as an app called Stellarium told me where the comet was, at Orion which sets in the West right after sunset.
Brought up the light pollution map (www.lightpollutionmap.info) to check for an area where light pollution is minimal especially when facing the West – which led me to travel to Boars Head Lookout area in Katoomba, Blue Mountains.
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| When I reached the site, setting up the MSM Nomad was very easy and straightforward. I usually already have the ballhead with the V-bracket ( I didn't use the V bracket this time) attached to the Nomad so when I reach the site, I just mount the Nomad setup + phone bracket onto the Panorama + Wedge that's already on my tripod.
Ensure the tripod is on a solid, stable platform so that it doesn't move around easily. |
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🎯
Polar alignment is simple as well as I use PhotoPills (Pills -> Spot Stars -> AR) to align the Nomad to point at the Southern Celestial Pole or where Sigma Octantis is.
The panorama base and wedge that comes with the MSM Nomad's southern hemisphere kit by Richard Tatti (highly recommended as it has everything you need), comes in handy when making minute adjustments required for polar alignment.
Flip the Nomad's switch to S for southern hemisphere.
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To verify my polar alignment, I take a test shot towards my target with a 30 second shutter speed. What I am looking for here is star trailing.
If the stars trail, then I will have to check my polar alignment again and try to get my tripod as leveled as possible which is best effort most of the time as the ground is uneven.
After I'm satisfied with the results of the test shot, configure the built-in intervalometer and start shooting
😌while it's shooting, sit back, relax and enjoy the stars!
💡Tips:
- When choosing a location, ensure that the direction you are shooting towards is dark especially if the target is setting or near the horizon area.
- Shooting towards the direction with light pollution in the distance, even if it's Bortle 4, will cause the image to have very uneven gradients which is additional work in post-processing. This is amplified because the shots will be stacked.
- Arrive and scout the location when there is still daylight.
- Use apps like Windy, Clearoutside to check the weather and cloud cover.
- If conditions are windy, ensure the tripod is as close to the ground as possible to lower its centre of gravity. You may choose to lower the shutter speed too to reduce the chance of star trailing.
- Use manual focus – focus on the stars. If you are changing focal lengths, ensure that the stars are still in focus.
🖥️
Stacked and initially processed in Siril.
Processed further and finished in Adobe Photoshop.
Gear List |
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Sony A7III |
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Tamron 28–75mm f/2.8 G2 |
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Manfrotto Element MII Aluminium Tripod |
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MSM Nomad Star Tracker |
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Google Pixel 8 Pro + PhotoPills (Polar Alignment) |
