One of the many advantages of being in space is having a front-row seat to the most anticipated cosmic events. NASA astronaut Don Pettit, flight engineer for the Expedition 72 crew, proved that when he witnessed Comet ATLAS from the International Space Station,

In the photo from the space station, the comet is captured just above Earth’s horizon, which is illuminated by a bright light — also known as airglow — that occurs in the planet’s upper atmosphere when atoms and molecules emit light after being excited by sunlight.

Astronaut Don Pettit captures stunning footage of Comet ATLAS from the International Space Station, offering a rare glimpse of the comet's passage through our solar system