Астронет: Астрономическая картинка дня Комета Кларка около края http://variable-stars.ru/db/msg/1383674/eng |
Credit & Copyright: Raul
Villaverde Fraile
Explanation:
Sweeping through this stunning field of view,
Comet 71P/Clark
really is in the foreground of these cosmic clouds.
The 2 panel telescopic mosaic is color enhanced and is about 5 degrees
(10 full moons) across.
It captures the faint
comet's position on the
night of May 23/24 over 5 light-minutes from Earth,
very near the line-of-sight to
bright star Antares and the
Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex.
In the frame
Antares, also known as Alpha Scorpii, is at bottom center surrounded
by a dusty cosmic cloud reflecting the cool giant star's yellowish light.
Globular star cluster M4 shines just right of Antares,
but M4 lies some 7,000 light-years away compared to Antares'
500 light-year distance.
Slightly closer than Antares, Rho Ophiuchi's bluish starlight is
reflected by the dust in
molecular clouds
toward the top.
You can spot the small coma and short tail of the comet
as a faint smudge near the center of the left edge of the frame.
Just look for the comet's striking greenish color, produced as diatomic
carbon molecules fluoresce
in sunlight.
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.