Chasing Comet Lemmon – A Once-in-a-Lifetime Self-Portrait Session

Last October, we were treated to the sight of Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) gracing our night skies. I had the wild idea to photograph myself and my partner beneath it — capturing that fleeting cosmic visitor in a moment of human connection. The photos came out beautifully, and after sharing the experience on Instagram, a couple reached out wanting their own “comet portraits.” It was one of those magical moments where art, astronomy, and awe all aligned.

Fast forward to this October, and by pure stroke of luck, another comet appeared — C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) — reaching peak brightness around October 21st. I posted openings for a special Comet Portrait Session and had a few sparks of interest, but in the end, those embers fizzled out.

That didn’t stop me. Even without a couple or family to photograph, I knew I couldn’t let this rare event pass. Capturing these moments is something I’ve done many times before — I know exactly where to point the camera, what settings to use, and where to stand to align myself perfectly under the celestial subject. My process is so dialed in that I can confidently set my camera to shoot continuously while I step hundreds of feet away to pose beneath the comet.

On October 22nd, just after sunset, I hiked into the Boise foothills to find Comet Lemmon. It wasn’t as bright as the comet I photographed in 2024, but after my eyes got accustomed to lower light, I spotted it — small, faint, and endearingly beautiful. I set up my camera, locked focus, and ran to my calculated position, striking poses beneath the fading comet. When I returned to my camera and scrolled through the images, a smile spread across my face. Later that night, I couldn’t resist creating a timelapse — watching the sky rotate and the comet drift toward the horizon reminded me of how fleeting and magical these moments truly are.

Still inspired, I went back out on October 23rd — this time with my bike. The process was the same: camera perfectly placed, positions carefully calculated, and me, a small figure beneath the vastness of the cosmos. Frame by frame, my camera captured the comet and its faint dusty tail traced across the night sky. Once again, I found myself smiling at the pure joy and awe of creating art from something so rare and distant.

These experiences are why I do this. The universe is full of wonders — many of them fleeting, some that won’t return for centuries. (Comet Lemmon won’t pass by Earth again until around the year 3175.) That ephemeral beauty is what draws me to photograph these moments: to pause time, to share a perspective few will ever see, and to invite others into the feeling of awe of our world and beyond. 

If you’d like to be the first to know about upcoming special event portrait sessions, including future comet or Lunar Love full moon portraits, I invite you to join my email list. You’ll get early access to limited session openings for rare celestial events like this one. Click here to enroll!

Thanks for stopping by and sharing this moment with me — under the light of a comet, across the passage of time.

Cross-posted from my landscape photography website: RobertHuguezphotography.com