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Credit & Copyright: Tunc Tezel
(TWAN)
Explanation:
Five bright comets are compared in these panels, recorded by
a coronograph on board the long-lived, sun-staring
SOHO spacecraft.
Arranged chronologically all are recognizable by their
tails
streaming
away
from the Sun at the center of
each field of view, where
a direct view of the overwhelmingly bright Sun is blocked by
the coronagraph's occulting disk.
Each comet was memorable for earthbound skygazers, starting
at top left with
Comet McNaught,
the 21st century's brightest comet (so far).
C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-Atlas,
approaching its perihelion with the active Sun at bottom center,
has most recently grabbed the
attention of comet watchers around the globe.
By the end of October 2024, the blank 6th panel may be
filled with bright sungrazer comet
C/2024
S1 Atlas.
...
or not.
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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
Publications with words: comet
See also:
- APOD: 2025 February 5 Á Comet G3 ATLAS Setting over a Chilean Hill
- APOD: 2025 February 2 Á Comet G3 ATLAS Disintegrates
- APOD: 2025 January 28 Á Comet G3 ATLAS over Uruguay
- APOD: 2025 January 26 Á The Many Tails of Comet G3 ATLAS
- Comet G3 ATLAS: a Tail and a Telescope
- APOD: 2025 January 21 Á Comet ATLAS over Brasilia
- APOD: 2025 January 20 Á Comet ATLAS Rounds the Sun