Astrophotographer Alessandra Masi captured comet Lemmon (C/2025 A6) in a rare alignment with the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.
Astrophotography is the art of capturing the spectacle offered by the celestial vault, and in these weeks of October, the protagonist is the non-periodic comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon), visible from the northern hemisphere. Discovered in January 2025, this celestial “traveller” is offering a rare spectacle, reaching a brightness that makes it potentially observable with the naked eye (apparent magnitude between 3.8 and 4.8) in ideal conditions and under dark skies, an opportunity that will not be repeated before the next millennium.
Comet Lemmon: we are in the days of closest approach
Its closest approach to Earth occurred on October 21, 2025, but its visibility remains optimal for several days, an invitation for enthusiasts to look up at the western horizon just after sunset.
Precisely in these days, comet Lemmon was immortalized in a shot of extraordinary beauty by the astrophotographer Alessandra Masi, official photographer of the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation and already known for her images selected several times by NASA as Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD). Originally from Cadore, Masi combines a passion for astrophotography with a deep bond with its mountains.
The artist recounted a photographic pursuit that lasted days, driven by the desire to merge the ethereal trail of the comet with the imposing profile of the Dolomites. After five failed attempts due to bad weather, the sky finally granted a reprieve on October 17. That evening, the clarity was perfect, providing an even more spectacular setting than expected.
A long wait rewarded by a rare alignment
Masi began the photographic session with the comet still high, then patiently waiting for its slow progress towards the horizon. The wait was rewarded by an alignment of rare harmony: the Lemmon found itself perfectly positioned above the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, the most iconic peaks and official symbol of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The comet “grazed” the sides of the mountains, tracing its path until it disappeared behind Forcella Lavaredo. The meeting between the sky traveler and the ancient rock sculptures offered an unrepeatable celestial spectacle, a suspended moment in which nature and the universe dialogued in a profound emotion, forever imprinted in an image.
