In an extraordinary celestial event, Indian stargazers were treated to 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 from across the country have captured breathtaking 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 headed to Gongma La, Hanle, in Ladakh, to photograph the comet. The team braved the high altitude and freezing temperatures to witness the event. The Instagram account @comic_trails shared the mesmerizing image with the caption:

“On October 1 morning, the astrophotography masterclass team traveled to Gongma la (4880 meters above sea level) to capture the comet. The oxygen and temperature were low, but the mood was high.”

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

The breathtaking view of Mahabalipuram

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

“Because the weather conditions were approaching, we planned a trip to catch the comet before we lost it to twilight in the coming days. As twilight arrived, the comet peeked out from a veil of cloud hanging close to the sea.”

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

The heavenly delight of Bengaluru

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

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

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

The shot of the astrophotographer of Hyderabad

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

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A rare celestial isitor

Comet C/2023 A3, which originates from the distant Oort Cloud, was discovered last year by observatories in China and South Africa. The comet is said to have last passed by Earth during the time of the Neanderthals, making this appearance a monumental event for astronomers around the world.