Wonder is highly underrated. I don’t connect to a sense of wonder often enough; maybe you don’t, either. We’re all too busy trying to juggle fifty balls at the same time (raises hand guiltily) to spend the time with an idea that a sense of wonder demands.

Sometimes, however, an image or idea will stop you in your tracks.

This is a photo of Comet Leonard. Discovered in 2021, it made its closest pass to Earth in December of that year and won’t be seen from Earth again. This photograph, called “Disconnection Event,” shows the comet’s tail disconnecting and being carried away by the solar wind.

I’m no astronomer, but the beauty of the photograph and the rarity of the incident together blows my mind. The Royal Observatory Greenwich named this photo the overall winner in their most recent Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition. If you want to see more breathtaking images, check out the highlights in this article in The Guardian. Better yet, if you’re in the UK, visit the exhibit at the National Maritime Museum through mid-August 2023.

I’m going to reconnect to my sense of wonder by pondering “Disconnection Event.” If you enjoy these photos, leave a comment. Which one did you like best? Let me know how they sparked your sense of wonder.