February 6, 2007: Fireworks, comet, lightning

[Undertoad]

When xoB sent this along I thought it surely must be a fake. When it became
Astronomy Pic of the Day yesterday I asked the photographer for permission to
use it. This is the work of Antti Kemppainen, and a fine work it is; APoD says it's
actually a three photograph panorama digitally processed to reduce red
reflections from the exploding firework, which is one reason it takes on this
otherworldly quality.

But never mind the processing; the most impressive part is that all three events
are captured at the same time and place, including the sunset and the beach and
visitors; and it's beautiful. The comet is McNaught's comet, visible now in the
southern hemisphere. The location is Perth, just north of Hillary's Marina. And the
reason for the fireworks is that it was taken on Australia Day.