Images of space observations from the Hubble Space Telescope often leave me speechless. Pictures taken by amateur astronomers in their backyards also leave me speechless. Space, in general, has that effect -- peering deep into alien space-scapes, views that are very rarely experienced by our terrestrial existence, can be an incredible eye-opener.

However, if you put an astronaut into space, with a camera, often those photographs have the most profound impact. Sometimes you just need a human to compose the best pictures.

Take this beautiful view of the "sungrazing" Comet Lovejoy for example.
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© NASA/Dan Burbank.Comet Lovejoy
NASA astronaut and Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank photographed the dazzling comet as it hung above the Earth's horizon yesterday (Dec. 21). The green haze is known as "airglow."

Wow.

Comet Lovejoy became quickly famous when it skimmed above the sun's surface last week, diving deep into the the corona. It was assumed the icy body would vaporize. This in itself is a great discovery -- it was the first time a sungrazer had been spotted by a ground observer before a space observatory. But against all the odds, NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory spotted the tenacious comet zoom behind the sun after swinging through the solar atmosphere.

It has since put on a wonderful cometary show for astronomers as it flies back into deep space.

Fortunately, the show wasn't just for ground-based observers, it just so happened that Burbank had the best (off-world) seat in the house.

Special thanks to Carolyn Porco, Cassini imaging science team leader, for directing me to this incredible photograph. Download hi-res version.