a 5 second exposure, edited in photoshop from a raw file.  Mostly unchanged except to boost the exposure to see more of what is in the file. This is pretty much what we could see unaided at that time and that location. We are actually very far above I-90 on a ridge of an ancient glacial moraine.  However, the darkness flattens all the space. The street sign is on our level, the red light is of  a cell tower in the distance. 
there is a lot of difference between what you can 'see' and where and when and with what aids - camera, binoculars, scope … and then how you process the digital image to bring out the data in the file. Digital imagery is all about choosing how to interpret the information that has been recorded. 

this is a 15 second exposure with a lot of editing in photoshop. Nikon D800, 30mm lens, ISO at 800 and F3.2

When we first saw Neo, it was very faint and difficult to see. We changed locations and it got darker, but we basically had to wait until about 11:30 until we could see much. almost impossible to take a photo of - couldn't see it in the view finder, this was a guess as to the location.

this is the picture as taken - around 11:30, 70 mm lens, 10 sec, F3.5, ISO 800.  this is how the image looked straight off of the disk, with out editing.

This is an edit of the picture above that describes what we could see with a scope or strong binoculars.  (the data is there in the file, and needed to be brought out.)
 The one thing I noticed that seems changed from a few days ago is the small vertical jet on the left.  The tail also seems longer. 

Below are two different shots, the first one 10 seconds, the second two are 15. the ones on the right were edited with Aurora, to give it an HDR edit. The ones on the left are done from the raw file in photo shop. 

Below is our first stop - I thought it would be good, lots of sky, on a plateau and with a view of the Sawtooth Mountains - aka the Stuart Range.  Summer days are long in the Pacific North West - Jupiter and Saturn came out around 9:40, and honestly, there is something magaical about watching the sky slowly darken as the earth rotates, however even as it got darker and the dipper appears, Finding Neo was a challenge. See the blue photo near the beginning. It was also very windy which was shaking the camera for any exposure longer than a few seconds! It was very difficult, for instance to see Jupiter or Saturn in the scope - on a tripod - because the wind was shaking things up. Even by after 11, Neo was still very, very faint. So we headed out.
However -
It turned out that as we went by what was our second choice, we found the sky was much darker and the comet much clearer, so the few successful shots are from there. Still windy but not impossible to take a long exposure - although there is some blurring.

Made a few attempts to photo the milky over the distant small city of Ellensburg - but too much shaking, and I probably need a very wide lens ... Another adventure for another time!

Looking west over my house, f5, 5 second exposure and 30mm lens, ISO 800 - adjusting the exposure in photoshop raw file, as well a some other adjustments, we find many more stars than I can see and we find different colors.... we also find the small streak of a tiny meteor.

Here looking the other way, to the east, we see the milky way when we use photo shop to adjust the exposure and a few other tweaks. The camera sees what I cannot make out. 
I do, however, remember, a decade ago, when I could see more of the milky way at night, before all the light pollution as developments creep eastward from the big city to the west.

This is among the first night sky pictures I took, a few years back. We traveled across the pass to find a place with less light pollution, not an easy task, so many lights in so many places!!

I find looking at the file that the iso is 3200 (!) lens - 18mm, F 5, and an a long 20 second exposure. But not much light steaking, but that has to do with the size of the lens. There is a proportion there. 

Pssst ... one of my favorite things about this is I can find the Andromeda Galaxy in the top left!

I have found that I can get the info I need with a shorter exposure time - by bringing out the 'hidden' light information in the raw file by adjusting the exposure in photoshop.  

It is my aspiration to head over the mountains (away from the big city lights)  in the next week to see if I can photograph the comet and the milky way...

Still figuring out how to get a decent photo --- this one has an airplane flying by making the dots.

I had a 70mm lens, ISO set at 500, F5 and shutter speed at 15 seconds. Longer than that seemed to get a 'better' image, however all the stars shows movement... Very difficult to tell, shooting in the dark, and needing to switch between my reading glasses and looking though the little screen at the back of the camera... I am no expert at this.

I did work it up in photoshop from the raw file, so as to make the photo more vibrant. In real life the comet is not this bright.

I will try again, maybe go to a darker location, experiment with ways to shorten the shutter speed to maybe 5 seconds. 

Intersting to note that the night before last we went out with just phone cameras, but I noticed although both nights were clear, the night before was clearer -- and colder.

Working with glaze and clay - I am always interested in the looking at the processes of chemistry, physics and geology that sculpt the planet and create our medium. I am amazed at the power of slow steady growth that can pick up small rocks and lift them above the smaller particles in the soil. Also that the seasons provide us with still freezing morning close to the equinox.
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That and the threads of ice are so beautiful. They make such compelling gestures of struggle to grow in the few hours that they have.

Ephemeral Magic!

As soon as I grabbed the camera, the flicker flew - but a beautiful bird - and one I'd not seen at the feeder before. Just the one picture... maybe more will arrive. The traffic has kept up, however now the birds have more choices and soon it will be time to nest...

The woodpecker doesn't stay for long - he's got a difficult task to stay on the little feeder. the guys have knocked the wood branch off - but it's meant for smaller birds. I've put suet in it during the snow. 

sometimes it seems it takes more effort than it's worth to grab a snack - but it must get difficult to bang your head against trees all the time.

Below you can see how when the bird turns his head the light picks up the iridescence of the head feathers. They seem to be entirely different than the feathers on his body.

It's difficult to make the color not look fake in these pictures but - it's an amazingly bright even on this dark wet snowy day.

Yes, it's March seventh and it's snowing again. Lots still on the ground, but this is wet and will not signify much.

Sheesh! Look at those cheeks!