Comet C/2023 crosses the horizon west of Hendry’s Beach in Santa Barbara on Saturday night. The appearance was not that close — about 44 million miles away — but it was the Oort Cloud comet’s first pass by Earth in 80,000 years.
Comet C/2023 crosses the horizon west of Hendry’s Beach in Santa Barbara on Saturday night. The appearance was not that close — about 44 million miles away — but it was the Oort Cloud comet’s first pass by Earth in 80,000 years. Credit: Christina Larson-Trainer photo