Comet Pan STARRS, seen March 12, 2013, as it swung around the sun (next viewing in 100,000 years).
Aaron Kingery, a scientist at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. captured the image above of Comet Pan STARRS on the evening of March 12, 2013, using a Canon DSLR camera. The comet was near peak brightness as it traversed the evening sky.
“This was a chance to see something rare,” said Dr. Bill Cooke of the Marshall Center. “The comet swung around the sun a couple of days ago, however viewing opportunities continue through the next couple of weeks. After that, it’s headed back out and we won’t see it again for another 100,000 years.”
Image credit: NASA/MSFC