Астронет: Астрономическая картинка дня Полярная звезда и след кометы ZTF http://variable-stars.ru/db/msg/1877511/eng |
Credit & Copyright: David Ibarra Gomez
Explanation:
Stars trace concentric arcs
around the North Celestial Pole in this
three
hour long night sky composite,
recorded with a digital camera fixed to a tripod
on January 31, near цger, Lleida, Spain.
On that date
Comet
C/2022 E3 (ZTF)
was near its northernmost declination in
planet Earth's sky.
That put the comet about 10 degrees from
Earth's North Celestial Pole
making the comet's position
circumpolar,
always above the horizon, from all locations on
planet Earth at more than 10 degrees northern latitude.
In the startrail image,
the extension of Earth's axis of rotation into space is at the left.
North star Polaris
traces the short,
bright, concentric arc less than a degree from the
North Celestial Pole.
The trail of Comet ZTF is indicated at the right,
its apparent motion
mostly
reflecting Earth's
rotation like the stars.
But heading for its closest approach to planet Earth on February 1,
the comet is also moving significantly
with respect to the background stars.
The diffuse greenish trail of Comet ZTF is an almost concentric
arc mingled with startrails as it sweeps through the
long-necked constellation Camelopardalis.
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.