BBC Sky at Night filming on La Palma November 2013
In late November 2013 the BBC’s The Sky at Night team travelled to La Palma in the Canary Islands to observe and study a handful of bright comets — including C/2012 S1 (ISON) and C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) — with the professional telescopes located at the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory.
Below are some of my personal photos from the filming trip, including some shots of ISON and Lovejoy taken with amateur equipment.
TX card for S@N no. 733. Credit: BBC Television/Will Gater/Pete Lawrence.
La Palma’s famous ‘Sea of Clouds’ as seen from the top of the island. Credit: Will Gater.
The S@N team’s first view of La Palma. You can just make out the dome of the Isaac Newton Telescope on the summit. Credit: Will Gater
The shadow of the volcano projects out into the atmosphere and the pink Belt of Venus. Credit: Will Gater
The Moon over the wing as seen on approach to La Palma. Credit: Will Gater
Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) imaged with an 8-inch telescope and a Canon 550D DSLR on 22 November. Credit: Will Gater
The 10.4m diameter Gran Telescopio Canarias, one of the world’s largest telescopes. Credit: Will Gater
The MAGIC telescope. Credit: Will Gater
Venus, the Zodiacal Light and the Milky Way over the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory. Credit: Will Gater
The domes of the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory catch the first rays of the sunrise. Credit: Will Gater
The Liverpool Telescope in the afternoon sun. Credit: Will Gater
Blue skies over the William Herschel Telescope (right), the Dutch Open Telescope (centre) & the Swedish Solar Telescope (left). Credit: Will Gater
La Palma’s famous ‘Sea of Clouds’ below the observatory. Credit: Will Gater
The William Herschel Telescope prepares for a night of observing. Credit: Will Gater
The Liverpool Telescope (right), Dutch Open Telescope (right of centre) & WHT (left) as seen from the Roque de Los Muchachos. Credit: Will Gater
The volcanic outcrop known as the Roque de Los Muchachos (‘The Rock of the Boys’) which gives the observatory its name. Credit: Will Gater
The Milky Way over the Liverpool Telescope dome. Credit: Will Gater
A Berthelot’s Pipit enjoying the sunrise at the Roque de Los Muchachos. Credit: Will Gater
Tenerife’s Mount Teide looms above the clouds in the distance. Credit: Will Gater
The Isaac Newton Telescope dome open at twilight. Credit: Will Gater
The Liverpool Telescope observing, illuminated by the light of the Moon. Credit: Will Gater
The Liverpool Telescope. Note the ‘finder scope’. Credit: Will Gater
The enormous dome of the Gran Telescopio Canarias. Credit: Will Gater
The MAGIC telescopes observing. The sky is illuminated by the orange glow of the rising Moon. Credit: Will Gater
The William Herschel Telescope dome, the Belt of Venus and the Earth’s shadow. Credit: Will Gater
Comet C/2012 S1 ISON rising on the morning of 21 November. Credit: Will Gater
The caldera at the heart of the island in the early morning sunlight. Credit: Will Gater
The Belt of Venus and the Earth’s shadow over the calm waters around La Palma. Credit: Will Gater
The Earth’s shadow stretching across the horizon with the Belt of Venus above it. Credit: Will Gater
Jupiter peeks through the clouds as passing rain showers off La Palma’s coast are illuminated by shafts of moonlight. Credit: Will Gater
Comet ISON (top right) with Mercury (bottom left) on the morning of 20 November. Credit: Will Gater
Golden light from the rising Moon floods through the cloud tops beyond the Isaac Newton Telescope. Credit: Will Gater
The Isaac Newton Telescope illuminated by moonlight. Credit: Will Gater
The telescopes of the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory from the highest point on the island. Credit: Will Gater
Mercury, Saturn and Comet ISON on the morning of the 23 November. Credit: Will Gater
The walls of the caldera as seen from the Roque de Los Muchachos. Credit: Will Gater
The morning sun begins to illuminate the vast interior of the caldera. Credit: Will Gater
Comet C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) on the night of the 21 November. Credit: Will Gater
The Liverpool Telescope at sunset. Credit: Will Gater
Sunset skies over the Liverpool Telescope (open dome) and the Isaac Newton Telescope (right). Credit: Will Gater
Anti-crepuscular rays at sunset extending right across the sky. Credit: Will Gater
The jagged volcanic landscape appears out of the clouds within the caldera. Credit: Will Gater
Cloud fills the caldera almost to the brim. Credit: Will Gater
Superb seeing conditions resulted in breathtaking telescopic views of the Moon during the trip. Credit: Will Gater