This ancient traveler from the Oort Cloud has journeyed through the void for approximately 170,000 years just to grace our skies.
It reached perihelion on April 19th, swinging only 0.5 AU from the Sun, and is now slowly heading back into the depths of space, likely never to return in our lifetime, or even in the next thousands of generations.
It’s only the second comet I’ve photographed since I started this hobby, and it quickly became my top priority. After two nights of trying, I finally captured it on the morning of April 16th. I really wanted to shoot it at longer focal length for more detail, but I wasn’t expecting this much. The signal was strong, the tail incredible...I just needed the right place for it to align naturally.
This spot at approximately 2,600 meters high in Sierra Nevada did the job perfectly.
Now, as with many things in life… it’s time to let it go.
@ igneis.nightscapes
EXIF
Sony a7IV
CANON EF 70-200MM F/2.8L IS II USM with adapter to Sony E
Benro Polaris
Sky: x46 30s, ISO 1.250, f/2.8
Foreground: x2 focus stacked 120s, ISO 800, f/2.8
NO generative AI involved, the comet is real and it aligns naturally in the spot.
![image showing A Once-in-a-Lifetime Comet, C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) [OC]](d813ac83-d690-522b-9e42-416590735f95.jpg)
igneisnightscapes on April 20th, 2026 at 22:33 UTC »
The Comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) at 200mm
This ancient traveler from the Oort Cloud has journeyed through the void for approximately 170,000 years just to grace our skies.
It reached perihelion on April 19th, swinging only 0.5 AU from the Sun, and is now slowly heading back into the depths of space, likely never to return in our lifetime, or even in the next thousands of generations.
It’s only the second comet I’ve photographed since I started this hobby, and it quickly became my top priority. After two nights of trying, I finally captured it on the morning of April 16th. I really wanted to shoot it at longer focal length for more detail, but I wasn’t expecting this much. The signal was strong, the tail incredible...I just needed the right place for it to align naturally.
This spot at approximately 2,600 meters high in Sierra Nevada did the job perfectly.
Now, as with many things in life… it’s time to let it go.
@ igneis.nightscapes
EXIF
Sony a7IV
CANON EF 70-200MM F/2.8L IS II USM with adapter to Sony E
Benro Polaris
Sky: x46 30s, ISO 1.250, f/2.8
Foreground: x2 focus stacked 120s, ISO 800, f/2.8
NO generative AI involved, the comet is real and it aligns naturally in the spot.
CeruleanEidolon on April 20th, 2026 at 23:33 UTC »
This is an incredible shot.
lock_robster2022 on April 21st, 2026 at 05:49 UTC »
Is this North or South hemisphere? I can’t recognize any of these stars / constellations!