216K
149K
71K
144K
186K
66K
76K
Observer: Wally Pacholka
Location: Joshua Tree National Park, California
Date: April 5, 1997 04:00-05:30 UT
Several shots taken the night of 4/4/97 from 8pm to 9:30 pm from Indian Cove Campground at Joshua Tree Nat Park. A 50mm lens at f/2 on a tripod was shielded from 50 mph winds with a jacket to take this series of shots using Fuji 800 film and exposures of 30 seconds. A small flashlight was used for 4-5 seconds to add depth and light to the foreground rocks. This technique I learned by accident last year while taking a photo of spectacular Comet Hyakutake from the same location. A group of Cub Scouts had a fire going in the next campsite that lite up the foreground rocks and produced a great photo combining the comet in the sky and also the foreground rock formations. Ever since then I try to recreate this effect using a simple flashlight. I hope you enjoy viewing these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them. I try to recreate in my photos the "Awe" that people express when they see the comet for the first time from under a dark sky. The sky is indeed "AWESOME" and the psalmist tells it all in when he says: "The Heavens Declare the Glory of God" Psalm 19:1.
(c) Images by Wally Pacholka of Long Beach.
wally@AstroPics.com
Comet Hale-Bopp Home Page