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APOD: 2026 May 12 Á The Conjunction of Comet R3 PanSTARRS and the Orion Nebula
Explanation:
TodayÁs
composite image
features
something old,
something new, something borrowed, and something blue!
Comet R3 PanSTARRS,
streaking across the right of the image, likely originated from
the Oort Cloud,
meaning it is an old Solar System relic from billions of years ago. ItÁs
bright extended
ion tail
glows blue as the gas escaping the cometÁs core is ionized by sunlight.
Astronomers are fascinated by
comets
for all sorts of reasons: comet compositions are untouched time capsules containing
the building blocks of Solar System planets; comets may have
delivered
water
to the young Earth; the behavior of cometary tails shed light on solar wind and radiation
interactions. The background mosaic, featuring
the Orion Nebula
(M42),
was taken over two nights of observation with the comet captured on the third night.
The Orion Nebula
is our nearest stellar nursery and, at
about 2 million years old,
is our something (relatively) new! Now at around
127.5 million kilometers from Earth,
we wave goodbye to the borrowed Comet R3 PanSTARRS as it leaves the Solar
System.
| << Yesterday | 12.05.2026 | Tomorrow >> |
Growing Gallery:
Comet R3 in 2026
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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: 2026 May 8 Á Comet R3 PanSTARRS Before Rigel
- APOD: 2026 April 20 Á Comet R3 PanSTARRS over a Himalayan Valley
- APOD: 2026 April 18 Á PanSTARRS and Planets
- APOD: 2026 April 14 Á The Long Wispy Tail of Comet R3 (PanSTARRS)
- APOD: 2026 April 12 Á Comet R3 PanSTARRS Brightens
- APOD: 2026 February 17 Á Tails of Comet Wierzchoå
- APOD: 2025 December 30 Á An Artificial Comet