NASA’s planet-hunting probe catches comet in action

(FILES)This undated NASA artist's illustration released on April 11, 2018 shows NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) that is set to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. SpaceX announced on April 16, 2018, it was delaying the TESS launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, to have more time to check the Falcon 9 rocket. The next attempt is scheduled for April 18. / AFP PHOTO / NASA / Handout / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / NASA/HANDOUT" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

NASA’s latest planet-hunting probe TESS has beamed back a stunning sequence of images showing a comet in motion 48 mn km from Earth.

Taken over the course of 17 hours on July 25, the day TESS started science operations, the images helped demonstrate the satellite’s ability to collect a prolonged set of stable periodic images covering a broad region of the sky – all critical factors in finding transiting planets orbiting nearby stars. Over the course of these tests, TESS took images of C/2018 N1, a comet discovered by NASA’s NEOWISE satellite on June 29. The comet, located about 48 mn km from Earth in the southern constellation Piscis Austrinus, is seen to move across the frame from right to left as it orbits the Sun.PTI