Tengrinews.kz - Kazakh photographer Dmitry Dotsenko captured unique footage of a comet flying over Almaty.
Tengrinews.kz - Kazakh photographer Dmitry Dotsenko captured unique footage of a comet flying over Almaty.
Dotsenko shared the mesmerizing video on his Instagram, filmed on October 12, which amazed many commenters.
"The comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS in the evening sky over Almaty. Last night, the weather was favorable, allowing for a window to observe the comet. I managed to take several photos and even create a time-lapse," he captioned the post.
According to Dotsenko, it’s fascinating to observe comets.
"Just imagine, a massive ice block hurtling through space at 80 kilometers per second. It melts from the heat of the Sun and emits a beautiful long tail. We see all this from our planet. For Earth, this comet poses no danger as it passes 200 times farther than the Moon. So you can safely enjoy this cosmic show," he noted.
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The video has already garnered comments, with some users expressing their dreams of seeing a comet.
"In our daily hustle, we hardly look up and see everything," "You captured eternity," and "This is an incredible sight!" noted people in the comments.
Dotsenko explained that he shot the time-lapse video using a camera, capturing 500 frames from about 5:30 PM to 6:00 PM on October 12.
He also emphasized that people in Kazakhstan will have another opportunity to see the comet.
"Do this after sunset, the comet will be visible on the western horizon. In urban light pollution, it's best to look for it with binoculars. In dark skies away from cities, it can be seen with the naked eye. Such bright comets are a rare phenomenon, so don’t miss it," he added.
The photographer noted that he might seek more shots of a comet in the near future, but from "somewhere away from city lights."
Earlier, a specialist at the Astrophysical Institute, Svetlana Moshkina, noted that Kazakhstanis would have the opportunity to see the comet in October.
"The Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) passed perihelion on September 27, approaching the Sun at 0.39 astronomical units (58 million km). On October 12, it will be closest to Earth at a distance of 0.48 astronomical units (70 million km). Its brightness will decrease as it moves away. From October 11 to 12, the comet will appear above the horizon in the Northern Hemisphere after sunset, and it can be observed until October 18, after which it will only be visible through a telescope," she said.
You can learn more about the comet via the link.