THE GORGEOUS MILKY WAY AND INCREDIBLE COMET ATLAS CAPTURED BY PHOTOGRAPHER
Dan Zafra, a travel photographer for Capture the Atlas, has a talent for positioning himself to capture remarkable photos. It is therefore not surprising that he accepted the challenge of documenting a rare astronomical event. To photograph Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS, also known as Comet A3, as it descended through the sky, Zafra travelled to a conservation area outside of Las Vegas. For astrophotography, Zafra frequently travels to far-off places, but this time, circumstances kept him closer to home.
Fortunately, he was able to drive to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation in the Mojave Desert of Nevada in just twenty minutes. In addition to offering a picturesque setting, its absence of light pollution made it possible for Zafra to document the entire event.
Zafra even managed to include the Milky Way, which won't be visible until later in the winter, in his wide-angle photograph. Nestled between rocky peaks, Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is enjoying its journey through space. Since its discovery in January 2023, astronomers and stargazers have been keeping a close eye on this comet. Although it has been in and out of sight multiple times since it was first found, it has been visible to the unaided eye since September.
Compared to earlier in the month, the comet appears to have somewhat faded in Zafra's October 20 photos. It had been at its brightest just eight days before when it had come within 44 million miles of Earth.
“Of course, there are more impressive dark skies in many places around the Southwest and the world, and that's usually where I like to go,” Zafra shares. “However, we tend to forget that we can also practice, enjoy, and capture beautiful and meaningful images in places close to home.”