Two NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station ( ISS ) have been tag the drive of a comet head toward the sun and using the opportunity to capture some remarkable photograph and footage .

ISS denizen Matthew Dominick and Don Pettit — bothalready renownedfor their impressivespace - ground photographic work — have been monitoring comet C2023 - A3 ( also known as Tsuchinshan - ATLAS ) for the preceding week or so and divvy up their efforts on social media .

Alongside a video ( below ) place on Wednesday that features the comet , Dominick wrote : “ The comet tail is perceptibly longer each day . interruption the television at about 15 minute … you may see the butt of the comet calculate like it is flex . The atmosphere is more slow the closer you get to solid ground . Changes in the compactness of the ambiance vary the refractive index and thus make the comet tail end appear dented . ”

The comet stern is noticeably longer each daytime . Pause the video at about 15 s . . . you may see the fanny of the comet looks like it is bending . The air is more dense the nigher you get to earth . Changes in the density of the air change the refractile index and…pic.twitter.com/vfBBbGeL5x

& mdash ; Matthew Dominick ( @dominickmatthew)September 25 , 2024

The video is in reality a time - reversion played at eight frames per mo , Dominick said , adding that the range were taken with a 200 mm crystalline lens at a 1/8 sec exposure with about 5 minutes in between shot , “ so this time - lapse should be about the same f number as we see it out the windowpane . ” The comet ’s up movement in the figure is have by the camera ’s stable side and the space station ’s reach of Earth at 17,500 miles per hour .

Fellow ISS cosmonaut Don Pettitcommentedon his ecstasy report : “ It is altogether awful to see a comet from area . The perspective of rising through the atmosphere on edge is truly alone from our vantage stage . The comet hindquarters is still too dim to see with your eyes , but it is heading towards the sun and produce brighter every day . ”

Pettit said that as it ’s still too dim to see with the naked centre , Dominick used orbital geometry to figure out where to point their cameras .

Dominick intromit that he , Pettit , and the other astronaut aboard the station were privilege to be able to witness so many astonishing events from their alone spot in range , writing in a post : “ We were talk about the other day how prosperous and thankful we are to have seenamazing aurora , asolar eclipse , and a comet in a individual trip to the ISS . ”

Comet Tsuchinshan - ATLAS is also seeable in the dawn sky to folks in Australia and New Zealand . If it does indeed become brighter in the coming day , then the viewing possibilities with the naked eyewill flourish for people all around the public .