Latest news with #BenSwanson
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Comet Seen Streaking Across Tasmania's Sky Before The Aurora Dances
Tasmania's night sky really put on a show on Saturday, Feb. 1, and photographer Ben Swanson was there to capture the display. Swanson spliced together about 7,000 photos shot throughout the night to create the video seen above. (MORE: Don't Miss February's Sweet Night Sky Treats) The video first shows the sunset and a crescent moon rising. Then, Comet C/2024 G3 Atlas streaks across the sky. According to the comet was visible in the Northern Hemisphere for a few days around mid-January but remained visible through early February in the Southern Hemisphere. Comet C/2024 G3 Atlas became one of the few comets on record to be visible to the naked eye during daytime hours, also said. (MORE: See – And Hear – Meteorite Crash To Earth) Humans won't set eyes on the comet again for thousands of years, if ever again. The comet could return again in 160,000 years, if it's not already destroyed by then, according to Discover Magazine. Swanson also caught a brilliant aurora dancing across the sky that same night. The aurora australis, or the southern lights, can be seen lighting up the sky in greens and purples later in the video. The aurora australis can be seen in Tasmania year-round, reports. (MORE: Watch Northern Lights Shimmer Over Alaska)
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Comet blazes past aurora in Australia's night sky
Stargazers across the Southern Hemisphere have been treated to views of a comet throughout the opening weeks of 2025. This past weekend, the cosmic spectacle became even more stunning as it illuminated the sky alongside the southern lights. Comet C/2024 G3 has been one of the brightest comets in decades, according to EarthSky, but due to its orbit around the sun, it has been best seen by stargazers south of the equator. On Feb. 1, the comet appeared shortly after nightfall, and as the sunlight waned, the aurora began to glow. In the Southern Hemisphere, this is known as the southern lights, or the aurora australis. A time-lapse of the cosmic pairing also revealed dozens of satellites flickering in the night sky. A timelapse of Comet C/2024 G3 and the Southern Lights seen from Tasmania, Australia, on Feb. 1, 2025. The flickering lights are satellites gliding across the night sky. (Ben Swanson via Storyful) Time is running out for folks across the Southern Hemisphere to spot Comet C/2024 G3. It has been slowly disintegrating following a close encounter with the sun, and its remnants are retreating to far depths of our solar system. As a result, it is starting to dim and will become more challenging to spot, even with the help of a telescope.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Comet Joins Colorful Aurora Australis in Tasmanian Sky
A colorful display of the southern lights was captured in Tasmania on February 1, with a comet also visible in the night sky. Ben Swanson, who captured the timelapse footage here, told Storyful it was the result of using three cameras to capture around 7,000 photos, which were then edited together. The sequence captures the sun setting, followed by a crescent moon, with the Comet C/2024 G3 streak across the sky, before giving way to a stunning aurora. The comet was visible from the Southern Hemisphere during January and early February due to its proximity to the sun, and it isn't expected to be seen again for thousands of years. Credit: Ben Swanson via Storyful
