Comet And Aurora Light Up Tasmanian Night Sky

Sign up for the Morning Brief email newsletter to get weekday updates from The Weather Channel and our meteorologists.

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)

Weather in your inbox

Forecast Location

Sign Up

By signing up you agree to the Terms & Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe at any time.

The video first shows the sunset and a crescent moon rising. Then, Comet C/2024 G3 Atlas streaks across the sky. According to Space.com, 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, Space.com 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, DiscoverTasmania.com reports.

(​MORE: Watch Northern Lights Shimmer Over Alaska)