Capturing a Rare Celestial Visitor: Photographing Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS
Spotting a comet streaking across the sky is a breathtaking experience, but capturing it on camera is another challenge entirely. Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS, visible in Wyoming’s night sky for the past week, won’t return for another 80,000 years. Seizing the opportunity, Daniel Kenah, WyoFile’s Development Director, set out to photograph this once-in-a-lifetime celestial event.
“I knew the comet would be visible for a couple of weeks, so I started thinking about how to capture it with an interesting foreground,” Kenah shared.
His initial attempt, photographing the comet over the Elk Fire in Big Horn, was hindered by smoke-filled skies. Unfazed, he returned the next night, determined to improve the composition.
Kenah planned to photograph the comet above Wyoming’s glacier-carved peaks, including Bighorn Peak, Darton Peak, and Loaf Mountain. The moon, three-quarters full, cast enough light on the landscape while the distance from the fire minimized interference from smoke. Balancing exposure time to highlight both the mountains and the comet’s sharp details, Kenah set up his shot.
Reflecting on the process, Kenah described the quiet beauty of night photography.
“It’s wild to see an object like that in the sky. You can practically hear it spraying across the sky. And it’s only visible every 80,000 years, so it’s amazing to think about some of the earliest humans looking up at that same comet in wonder.”
The result was an awe-inspiring photograph that not only captures a fleeting cosmic event but also echoes humanity’s enduring fascination with the universe.
