From the gorgeous east bay hills above Walnut Creek, I met up with Laura and Lee Ann to observe comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan–ATLAS. Laura had scouted a grand distant oak tree for a telephoto compression shot.

After dark, the comet appeared above the tree and descended generally along this route, but slightly left. Well, in all the confusion to grab my dark frames, flats and bias shots, I forgot to re-shoot the moonlit tree when it was looking its best.

So, this is a composite of the comet against the scene 1 hour earlier. Both were captured from the same position with the same focal length, 600mm using the A* 600/5.6 on the 645Z.

Those people under the tree were a surprise when I raised the shadows.

Thanks for looking!