Chasing Comet C/2024 G3 Atlas at Ngarunui Beach: A Night of Stars, Surf, and Slightly Blurry Dreams

Sometimes, photography is about the perfect shot. Other times, it’s about the adventure. My trip to Ngarunui Beach to capture Comet C/2024 G3 Atlas was a little bit of both—an evening of stunning skies, peaceful waves, and a valuable lesson in astrophotography without a tracker.

The Setup: Sunset, Stillness, and Skygazing

The evening started beautifully. The sun dipped below the horizon, setting the sky ablaze in fiery oranges and soft purples. The ocean, usually a restless force, was eerily calm, reflecting the last light of the day. If nothing else, I thought, this was already worth the trip.

With my Panasonic Lumix S1R ready for action and my Lumix S5 set up for a timelapse, I waited for darkness to settle in. The air was crisp, the sound of distant waves soothing, and for a moment, I felt like a lone explorer, watching the cosmos unveil itself.

The Challenge: Finding and Framing the Comet

Then came the tricky part—spotting Comet C/2024 G3 Atlas. Armed with a Stellarium, Photo Pills and a bit of luck, I finally caught sight of it. A faint smudge in the sky, trailing its ethereal tail, drifting through the void. Time to shoot.

Without a star tracker, I knew I’d have to keep my exposures short to avoid star trailing. The problem? The exposure I used was too long for my focal length, leaving me with images that weren’t as crisp as I had hoped. A classic case of astrophotography optimism colliding with reality.

The Takeaway: Lessons from the Night Sky

In the end, did I capture a perfect, tack-sharp image of the comet? No. Did I have an amazing night under the stars, experimenting, learning, and appreciating the beauty of the universe? Absolutely.

Next time, I’ll bring the Move Shoot Move tracker or experiment with stacking shorter exposures. But for now, I have a handful of comet shots, some incredible memories, and a newfound appreciation for the delicate balance between exposure time and focal length.

Photography isn’t just about nailing every shot—it’s about the moments, the experience, and the joy of chasing the light, even when it’s millions of kilometers away.

Until the next celestial adventure!