Must-see: Comet Neowise brightens the sky in New York couple’s viral engagement photos

HERKIMER COUNTY, N.Y. — A New York couple's stunning engagement photos featuring Comet Neowise are going viral.

According to CNN, photographer Tim Leach captured the moment that his friend, John Nicotera, proposed to now-fiancee Erica Pendrak last weekend in Old Forge.

Nicotera told Insider that he initially had planned to pop the question during a trip to Oregon's Crater Lake; however, he had to scrap that idea because of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, he decided to take Pendrak out to see Comet Neowise, which won't be visible again for 6,800 years, and enlisted Leach to help.

As the trio watched the comet shine overhead, Nicotera knew the time was right and told Leach that the moment had come, CNN reported. Nicotera then dropped to one knee, showing Pendrak the ring. The couple stood still for seven seconds as Leach snapped the photo, which required a long exposure, then celebrated, according to the news outlet.

"Last-minute plan for a memory that will last a lifetime," Leach, who snapped a second staged photo as well as other pictures of the couple, wrote on Instagram.

Nicotera and Pendrak also shared the images on Twitter, where they quickly went viral.

"Can I get a retweet for what I pulled off last night?" Nicotera tweeted Sunday. "We even saw the [International Space Station] pass by!"

"Sparks really did fly this night," Pendrak added.

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Comet Neowise brightens the night sky The Comet Neowise or C/2020 F3, with its two tails visible, is seen in the sky above Goldfield, Nevada on July 18, 2020. (DAVID BECKER/AFP via Getty Images)

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