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22nd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) over the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory

I had been photographing Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) over the past few nights, yet without any foreground or other subjects that were anything but the natural landscape and horizon. This particular night I decided to post up across from one the FLWO Gamma Ray telescopes (near the newly opened and quite fantastic visitor science center). I had been tracking the comet's trajectory for a few nights, and had a good feeling I would capture some fun frames of it within this nights scene. I only had to move my tripod a few feet in order to get this frame and the resulting 'alignment' didnt disappoint. This photo is a single frame. Around 1.5hrs after sunset.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2024
Date Uploaded: 12.2024
Photo Location: Amado, Arizona, United States of America
Camera: NIKON D750
Copyright: © Scott Caligure