Individual frames (45x60s) showing local sky conditions

About this Picture

We had a clear night in the Netherlands on Wednesday morning, giving me a short window to target Comet C/2025 R3 (PANSTARRS) before dawn. I shot this from my rooftop in Utrecht (Bortle 7). Shooting this comet was a race against sunrise and light pollution with C/2025 R3 very close to the horizon.

By the time the comet reached 20 degrees in the sky, the rising sun washed out the signal. Since it was so low on the horizon, I had to deal with some interference from glaring city lights, which you can see in the accompanying timelapse video.

About the Comet: A One-Way Journey

C/2025 R3 is a “pristine” long-period comet originally from the Oort Cloud. Based on its trajectory, it likely hasn’t visited the inner solar system in about 170,000 years. What makes this visit bittersweet is that it will be its last.

As the comet passed through the solar system, it received a gravitational “kick” from Jupiter. This assist bumped its eccentricity above 1.0, creating a hyperbolic trajectory. This means the comet has gained enough velocity to break free from the Sun’s gravity entirely—it is now on a one-way trip into interstellar space.

For us in the mid-northern latitudes, the window is closing fast as the comet dives toward the horizon. This truly is a once-in-a-lifetime event to see this particular traveler. Clear skies!