Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) and the milky way

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS)

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) became one of the most anticipated comets of 2024, as it brightened steadily while making its journey through the inner Solar System. Initially discovered independently by the Tsuchinshan Observatory in China and the ATLAS survey, the comet drew worldwide attention for its potential brightness and long, graceful tail visible even in modest instruments.

I captured images of this comet during a stay in Lembruch, using my mobile astrophotography setup under clear autumn skies.

Observing the Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) was a remarkable experience that I will not soon forget.

Image processing was performed entirely in PixInsight, using a workflow optimized for moving targets. The data were comet-aligned to reveal fine detail in the coma and tail while maintaining natural star color and contrast. Careful background extraction and color calibration helped preserve the comet’s soft green glow and the faint blue tones of the ion tail.

The final image reveals Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) along the milky-way.