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 Will’s personal photos from the trip, including some shots of ISON and Lovejoy taken with amateur equipment.

The Moon over the wing as seen on approach to La Palma. Credit: Will Gater

The shadow of the volcano projects out into the atmosphere and the pink Belt of Venus. 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 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 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