Uploaded November 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
A breathtaking moment captured by NASA’s STEREO spacecraft — but who is the real STAR here!?
In March 2013, STEREO, a spacecraft designed to monitor solar explosions, got photobombed by comet C/2011 L4 Pan-STARRS!
On the left, solar material erupts from the Sun, while Earth glows on the right. Then comet Pan-STARRS streaks right through the middle of the shot. We should treasure the interruption, though: This comet won’t be back for another 100,000 years!
NASA’s Illuminate: Out-of-this-world images shining light on our Sun and solar system.
Music Credit: “Everyday Stories” by Eric Chevalier [SACEM] via Universal Production Music
Video credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Producer: Beth Anthony (eMITS)
This video can be freely shared and downloaded at svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14706. While the video in its entirety can be shared without permission, the music and some individual imagery may have been obtained through permission and may not be excised or remixed in other products. Specific details on such imagery may be found here: svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14706.
For more information on NASA’s media guidelines, visit nasa.gov/nasa-brand-center/images-and-media/.
If you liked this video, subscribe to the NASA Goddard YouTube channel: youtube.com/NASAGoddard
Follow NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
· Instagram: instagram.com/nasagoddard
· X: twitter.com/NASAGoddard
· Facebook: facebook.com/NASAGoddard
· Flickr: flickr.com/photos/gsfc
A breathtaking moment captured by NASA’s STEREO spacecraft — but who is the real STAR here!?
In March 2013, STEREO, a spacecraft designed to monitor solar explosions, got photobombed by comet C/2011 L4 Pan-STARRS!
On the left, solar material erupts from the Sun, while Earth glows on the right. Then comet Pan-STARRS streaks right through the middle of the shot. We should treasure the interruption, though: This comet won’t be back for another 100,000 years!
NASA’s Illuminate: Out-of-this-world images shining light on our Sun and solar system.
Music Credit: “Everyday Stories” by Eric Chevalier [SACEM] via Universal Production Music
Video credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Producer: Beth Anthony (eMITS)
This video can be freely shared and downloaded at svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14706. While the video in its entirety can be shared without permission, the music and some individual imagery may have been obtained through permission and may not be excised or remixed in other products. Specific details on such imagery may be found here: svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14706.
For more information on NASA’s media guidelines, visit nasa.gov/nasa-brand-center/images-and-media/.
If you liked this video, subscribe to the NASA Goddard YouTube channel: youtube.com/NASAGoddard
Follow NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
· Instagram: instagram.com/nasagoddard
· X: twitter.com/NASAGoddard
· Facebook: facebook.com/NASAGoddard
· Flickr: flickr.com/photos/gsfc
