One of the many benefits of being in space is having a front row seat to some of the most anticipated cosmic events.
NASA astronaut Don Pettit, an aeronautical engineer on Expedition 72, proved this when he witnessed Comet Atlas from the International Space Station orbiting 400 miles above Earth. The comet, officially known as C/2024 G3, made its closest approach to the sun earlier this week, and some astronomers predict it will be the brightest comet of the year.
Pettit pointed his camera at one of the space station’s windows and captured the comet visiting the astronauts.
“Seeing comets from orbit is truly amazing,” he said on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Comet Atlas is currently visible in the constellation Sagittarius, and while Pettit’s images may make it look too close for comfort, it’s actually about 87 million miles from Earth. Although such objects tend to be washed out by sunlight as they approach their stars, this object can be seen at dawn or dusk and is comparable in brightness to Venus, according to a NASA post.
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NASA astronaut Don Pettit shares a photo of Comet Atlas taken from the window of the International Space Station.
Credit: Don Pettit / NASA
Comets are giant balls of ice, dust, and rock that formed in the outer solar system and are remnants of early planetary formation some 4.6 billion years ago. As it approaches the Sun, the ice begins to break down, jumping through the liquid phase and instantly changing from solid to gas. This process forms their distinctive tails, millions of miles of debris trails.
Hundreds of years ago, people thought comets were bad omens. Today, scientists know that these icy objects are time capsules of the ancient solar system. Some astronomers believe that comets brought water and organic compounds, the building blocks of life, to early Earth.
As 2024 draws to a close, the number of known comets has increased to about 4,000. Astronomers say countless other objects are likely orbiting the sun beyond Neptune in the disk known as the Kuiper belt, or in the outer reaches of the solar system, about 50 times further away from the sun, the so-called It is likely that it is orbiting within the Oort cloud.
NASA astronaut Don Pettit uses a camera on the International Space Station.
Credit: NASA
The Oort cloud is thought to be an ancient sphere of icy objects surrounding the solar system. A comet there can be moved by the gravity of another celestial body and redirected toward the Sun. Astronomers believe this distant region is the origin of Comet Atlas, which was discovered last April. If the comet survives a close encounter with the Sun, it could return in about 160,000 years.
It is very difficult to catch a glimpse of this comet anywhere north of the equator, but if you are in the Southern Hemisphere, stargazers may have a chance to see it over the western horizon just after sunset. This situation is likely to last from mid-January until the rest of this month.
Comet Atlas may become easier to spot as it moves out of the Sun’s intense glare over the next day or two. WARNING: Do not stare into the sun without safety glasses.
“Comet Atlas is expected to survive its close passage to the Sun and remain bright enough to be seen with the naked eye for several days to come,” NASA said.
