NASA astronaut captures images of an impressive comet soaring through space.
An ancient object travels along the road.
A frozen visitor is traversing the inner solar system. The Tsuchinshan-ATLAS comet, also known as Comet C/2023 A3, has increased in brightness as it approaches the sun, allowing astronauts on the International Space Station to capture vibrant images of this ancient core of ice, rock, and dust. Recently, NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick shared a view of the comet rising above Earth as the station moved at approximately 28,000 kilometers per hour in its orbit.
“Comet appearing over the horizon just before orbital dawn between auroras and moving satellites,” commented the agency's flight engineer online. In the video, the comet can be seen at the end of the frame near the 12-second mark. In the image captured on September 29, the comet was approximately 75 million miles from Earth and 38 million miles from the sun (the distance from Earth to the sun is 93 million miles).
As comets approach the sun, they heat up and eject dust and gas into space, leaving behind large trails of material stretching for millions of miles. Comet C/2023 A3 made its closest approach to the sun on September 27 and is now heading towards the cold regions of the outer solar system.
Comets contain a considerable amount of material and usually measure several to tens of miles in length. “When they're frozen, they're the size of a small city,” NASA explains. One particular comet, discovered in 2021, boasts an impressive width of 85 miles. Although Dominick used a camera to capture the comet, he also noted that it is visible to the naked eye from the space station, and observers on Earth may be able to see it.
The best show, as the comet moves between Earth and the sun, will likely occur in mid-October. However, if you can't see it or can't find a place with dark enough skies, you can enjoy the view from space.
