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Credit & Copyright: Tunc Tezel
(TWAN)
Explanation:
Are you still looking for that
perfect holiday gift for an astronomer?
If your night sky is dark and horizon clear enough,
the
Solar System
may have done your shopping for you.
Send them outside after sunset to see three planets and a comet.
In this snapshot of the December solstice evening sky from the
village of Kirazli, Turkey
the brightest celestial beacon is Venus, close to the southwestern horizon
at the right.
Look left and up to find Saturn shining between clouds.
Follow that line
farther left and up to bright Jupiter, the Solar System's
ruling gas giant.
This year's surprise visitor to the inner Solar System, Comet Leonard
(C/2021 A1), is near the horizon too.
The
comet is fainter
but forms a nearly equilateral triangle
with planets Venus and Saturn in this view.
After a
dramatic
brightening
in recent days
the comet is just visible to the unaided eye, though a nice pair of
binoculars is always
a good idea.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: comet - planets
Publications with words: comet - planets
See also:
- APOD: 2024 December 16 Á A Kilometer High Cliff on Comet Churyumov Gerasimenko
- APOD: 2024 November 27 Á The Meteor and the Comet
- APOD: 2024 November 11 Á The Unusual Tails of Comet Tsuchinshan Atlas
- APOD: 2024 November 6 Á Comet Tsuchinshan Atlas over the Dolomites
- APOD: 2024 October 21 Á Comet Tsuchinshan ATLAS over California
- Comet Tsuchinshan ATLAS Flys Away
- Most of Comet Tsuchinshan ATLAS