High-Resolution Capture of Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS)

Last night, I captured my most detailed image yet of Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) on a moonless night under Bortle 4 skies along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Deep Gap, North Carolina. For this shot, I used my APO 135mm lens with the ZWO 2600 Duo OSC astro camera, stacking 60 images, each with a 60-second exposure. I also added dark and bias calibration files to reduce noise and enhance image quality, ensuring a crisp and clean final result.

The longer exposures and careful calibration revealed the comet’s stunning greenish coma, intricate tail structure, and a beautifully pronounced anti-tail. The dark, clear skies provided the perfect setting to capture every subtle detail of this brightening comet.

Comet C/2023 A3 is becoming more spectacular each night as it heads toward perihelion in late 2024. With the right conditions and gear, you can really bring out the vivid colors and fine details of this remarkable object in the night sky.

• Location: Blue Ridge Parkway, Deep Gap, North Carolina

• Conditions: Moonless night, Bortle 4 skies

• Lens: APO 135mm

• Camera: ZWO 2600 Duo OSC

• Exposure: 60 stacked images, 60-second exposures

• Calibration: Darks and bias files applied

For those looking to capture this comet, I highly recommend longer exposures and proper calibration to fully reveal its beauty. If you have access to darker skies, the results will be even more impressive.