By ANDY BENTLEY | 2024-07-21
![Community photo entitled Mercury's Dawn Delight by SAMIT SAHA on 07/21/2024 at Allipurduar, West Bengal, India](https://ecp.earthsky.org/upl/gravity_forms/6-d613a712aa1020729eb530187e1fe51d/2024/07/m11.jpg)
Mercury's Dawn Delight
On 07/21/2024 07:10 pm by SAMIT SAHA| Allipurduar, West Bengal, India
In the early dawn of Alipurduar, West Bengal, I set up my Nikon D5600 and 70-300mm lens, ready to capture the elusive Comet 13P/Olbers. However, thick clouds rolled in, obscuring my intended target. Only one cosmic gem pierced the sky—Mercury, the first planet of our solar system.
Undeterred, I quickly adjusted my settings to ISO 1000 and a 1/2 second exposure, capturing twelve frames. In the serene and colorful dawn, Mercury shone brightly, a rare sight visible to the naked eye. Back home, I meticulously stacked the images in Photoshop, revealing the planet's radiant beauty. Despite the uncooperative weather, the morning yielded a celestial treasure, making the effort worthwhile.
Nikon D5600 + Nikon 70-300 on Benro Tripod (BAT)
Stacked & Processed in Photoshop