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Астронет: Астрономическая картинка дня Комета Леонарда и галактика Кит http://variable-stars.ru/db/msg/1790494/eng |
Credit & Copyright: Gregg Ruppel
Explanation:
Sweeping through
northern predawn skies, on November 24
Comet Leonard (C/2021 A1)
was caught between
two galaxies in this
composite telescopic
image.
Sporting a greenish coma the comet's dusty tail seems to harpoon the
heart
of NGC 4631 (top) also known as the Whale Galaxy.
Of course
NGC 4631 and NGC 4656
(bottom, aka the Hockey Stick)
are background galaxies some 25 million light-years away.
On that date the comet was about 6 light-minutes from our fair planet.
Its closest approach to Earth (and even closer approach
to Venus)
still to come,
Comet
Leonard will
grow brighter in December.
Already
a good object
for binoculars and small telescopes,
this comet will likely not return to the inner Solar System.
Its perihelion, or closest approach to the Sun, will be on January 3, 2022.
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.