Comet Neowise over Bodie Island Lighthouse in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. In the summer of 2020, Comet Neowise dazzled skywatchers, many of whom were emerging from months of COVID isolation.

I had this location in mind for several years to photograph the lighthouse with the Milky Way, but when the opportunity presented itself to also see a rare comet, I planned a visit.

The comet was most visible in July when it was observed even in areas with relatively high light pollution.

I arrived at the lighthouse for sunset photos, then waited until the blue hour for this opportunity to capture Neowise to the north. Photographing the bright comet was relatively simple once I found its location above the horizon.

Drawing on standard night sky photo techniques (manual focus in the dark, longer shutter speeds, and shooting with open apertures), I was able to photograph this scene in a single exposure. Later in the night, clear skies also allowed me to photograph the lighthouse with the Milky Way core to the south. I left near midnight with dozens of great images and almost as many mosquito bites.