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Астронет: Астрономическая картинка дня Комета Лавджоя в Новом году http://variable-stars.ru/db/msg/1298036/eng |
Credit & Copyright: Damian Peach
Explanation:
A rival to
vanquished
Comet ISON in 2013,
Comet Lovejoy (C/2013 R1) still
sweeps through early morning skies, captured in this
starry scene on New Year's day.
The frame stretches some 3.5 degrees across a background
of faint stars in the constellation Hercules.
Only just visible to the naked eye from dark sites before dawn,
Lovejoy
remains
a good target for the northern hemisphere's binocular equipped skygazers.
But this deep exposure shows off Lovejoy's beautiful tails
and tantalizing greenish
coma better than binocular views.
Not a sungrazer, this
Comet Lovejoy made its closest approach to
the Sun around December 22,
looping
high above the ecliptic plane.
Now headed for the outer Solar System,
Lovejoy began the new year about 6.7 light-minutes from
planet Earth.
Free lecture:
APOD editor to speak in NYC Tonight
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.