Stunning image of rare comet captured from The Mendips

Landscape Astrophotographer Josh Dury has captured a stunning image of a rare comet over The Mendips.

The photograph shows the comet known as 12P/Pons-Brooks.

The comet was first seen by Jean-Louis Pons on 12 July 1812 and then independently rediscovered by William Robert Brooks in 1883.

After taking the photograph Mr Dury said: “The image was not an easy one to capture on so many levels.

"The amount of times having to move around to capture a composition I was satisfied with eventually paid off.

“What opened my eyes with this photo is the amount of light pollution visible.

"Even with the surrounding skyglow of Bristol and Weston-Super Mare, the comet was visible.

“Not only was it possible to capture distortions in the comets ‘ion’ tail from the Sun’s ‘solar wind’, it appeared close to the Andromeda Galaxy.”

The comet is likely to be visible, to some degree, over the course of March 2024.