Indian stargazers capture stunning images of rare comet seen after 80,000 years | On trend

In an extraordinary celestial event, Indian stargazers witnessed the rare sight of Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan ATLAS) in the first week of October. The comet, which was last seen 80,000 years ago, has caused excitement among astronomy enthusiasts. Astrophotographers across the country have captured stunning images of this unique space rock, which is expected to make its closest approach to Earth between October 12 and 24.

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Capturing the heavenly wonder in Ladakh

On October 1, a team of astrophotographers traveled to Gongma La, Hanle in Ladakh to photograph the comet. The team braved the high altitude and freezing temperatures to witness the event. Instagram account @comic_trails shared the intriguing image with the caption:

“On the morning of October 1, the astrophotography master class team traveled to Gongma la (4880 m above sea level) to capture the comet. The oxygen levels and temperature were low, but the mood was good.”

Photographers Abhinav Singhai, Atish Aman, Lakshmi Narayana, Pritam Panigrahi, Smita Singh, Anuj Singh and Angchok Padma were credited with the stunning images.

Mahabalipuram's breathtaking views

On October 4, astrophotographer Satya Narayanan Sridhar captured a stunning image of the comet near Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. He shared the picture on Instagram and wrote:

“Since weather conditions were favorable on a streak, we planned a trip to capture the comet before leaving it to twilight in the coming days. As dusk fell, the comet peeked out from a veil of clouds near the sea.”

Sridhar marveled at the comet's long tail and adjusted the focal length of his camera to fully capture its beauty

Bengaluru's heavenly delight

Keerthi Kiran M, a member of the Bangalore Astronomical Society, also captured stunning images of the comet on October 4. She shared a stacked image on her Instagram page showing the comet's long tail. She encouraged her followers to look for them in the early morning sky:

“If the sky is clear, you should be able to see it between 5 and 5:45 a.m.”

Kiran also posted a time-lapse video of the comet as it slowly disappeared into the morning light.

Shot by an astrophotographer from Hyderabad

On October 5, a Hyderabad-based astrophotographer known as @itsardnepu on X shared a close-up of the comet from the outskirts of the city. His image captured the comet's intricate details and increased excitement among astronomy enthusiasts.

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A rare visitor to heaven

Comet C/2023 A3, originating from the distant Oort Cloud, was discovered last year by observatories in China and South Africa. The comet is believed to have last passed Earth during Neanderthal times, making this appearance a monumental event for astronomers worldwide.