Last night, I stepped into the quiet of the evening with my gear in hand and hope in my heart. The southern sky opened like a cathedral, velvety, vast, and full of mystery. Above me, two celestial wanderers graced the heavens: Comet Lemmon and Comet SWAN. To witness even one comet is a gift. To see two in the same sky? That feels like a divine whisper, a spiritual echo of sorts.
Comet Lemmon shimmered with a soft green hue, its tail stretching like a brushstroke across the stars. SWAN, by contrast, burned softer with no tail and bluer, more tempestuous in its arc. Each carried its own story, Lemmon, quiet and contemplative; SWAN, bold and fleeting. They were different in color, speed, and temperament. And yet, both were born of the same cosmic cloth, spun from the same Creator’s hand.
As I framed each shot, I couldn’t help but reflect on the paradox of unity and uniqueness. These comets, like us, are distinct, yet share a common origin. Scripture echoes this truth: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1). Each comet is a proclamation, a sermon in motion, reminding us that beauty doesn’t need uniformity to be divine.
Another verse came to mind as I packed up under the deepening night: “He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name” (Psalm 147:4). If He names the stars, surely He knows the comets too. And surely, He knows us, our paths, our peculiarities, our purpose.
This morning, as I review the images and sip my coffee, I’m struck by the quiet joy of last night’s adventure. Two comets. Two stories. One Creator. What a gift to be alive beneath such a sky.
Until next time, keep looking up!
-g
Thank you for this! You do amazing work, my friend!
Side note: My phone won't do QR codes (weird, right?), so am trying to donate via the Buy Me A Coffee website. However, both credit cards I tried, I get an "Insufficient funds" message & it won't let me complete the transaction. Messaged them on X & hoping for a reply soon so I can help you out a bit. #BeBlessed
I’m hoping to try some capture and processing tricks to get this classic comet look on my next observation opportunity…nice work.