Comet R3 PanSTARRS Behind Satellite Trails
Can you find the comet? Somewhere through this web of satellite trails is Comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) , a bright visitor passing through the inner Solar System . Now, the orbiting satellites themselves only appear as streaks because of the long camera exposure, over 10 minutes in this case. On the contrary, to the eye , satellites appear as points that drift slowly across the night sky and shine by reflecting sunlight -- primarily just after sunset and before sunrise. The featured image was taken just before sunrise two weeks ago from Bavaria , Germany . Presently, Comet R3 PanSTARRS is hard to see for even another reason -- because it is so (angularly) close to the Sun . As the comet rounds the Sun, it will be best seen in coming weeks from southern hemisphere e skies, although then it will be heading out to interstellar space and fading. If you haven't yet found the comet, don't despair ; please take a closer look just above the image center.