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Астронет: Астрономическая картинка дня Голубая комета в Гиадах http://variable-stars.ru/db/msg/1396355/eng |
Credit & Copyright: Rogelio Bernal
Andreo (Deep Sky Colors)
Explanation:
Stars of the Hyades
cluster are scattered through this mosaic
spanning over 5 degrees on the sky toward the constellation Taurus.
Presently cruising through the Solar System, the
remarkably blue comet
C/2016 R2 PanSTARRS is placed in
the wide field of view using image data from January 12.
With the apex of the V-shape in the Hyades cluster
positioned near the top center,
bright
Aldebaran, alpha star of Taurus,
anchors the frame at the lower right.
A cool red giant, Aldebaran is seen in orange hues in the
colorful starfield.
While the stars of the Hyades are gathered 151 light-years away,
Aldebaran lies only 65 light-years distant and so is separate
from the cluster stars.
On
January 12, C/2016 R2 was over 17 light-minutes from planet
Earth and nearly 24 light-minutes from the Sun.
Its blue tinted tail largely due to
CO+ gas
fluorescing in sunlight, the
head
or coma
of the comet appears with a slightly greenish hue,
likely emission from diatomic carbon.
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.