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Credit:
Credit & Copyright Gordon Garradd, Loomberah NSW Australia
Explanation:
Arcing toward southern skies in late March,
this faint comet LINEAR
-
the one officially
designated C/2001 A2 (LINEAR) -
brightened unexpectedly.
The outburst, apparently due to
the fragmentation of its nucleus,
delighted observers as the comet eventually increased to
naked-eye
brightness.
Comet
LINEAR's tail also grew and in
this mosaic of images from
May 18, astronomer Gordon Garradd has carefully followed the fluorescing
filaments of LINEAR's gas tail stretching 1.5 degrees (the width of
three full moons) along the anti-sunward
direction.
The inset close-up near the top clearly shows two bright condensations
in the
cometary
coma, indicating the presence of a split nucleus.
This comet LINEAR
made its closest approach to the Sun on May 24.
Still showing
off for southern skygazers at about 5th magnitude, it
will become more easily visible for northern observers by late June.
Credit & Copyright Gordon Garradd, Loomberah NSW Australia
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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 - tail - nucleus
Publications with words: comet - tail - nucleus
See also:
- Comet 13P Olbers
- APOD: 2024 June 4 Á Comet Pons Brooks Develops Opposing Tails
- APOD: 2024 April 17 Á Total Eclipse and Comets
- APOD: 2024 April 8 Á The Changing Ion Tail of Comet Pons Brooks
- Comet Pons-Brooks at Night
- APOD: 2024 March 18 Á Comet Pons Brooks Swirling Coma
- Comet 12P/Pons Brooks in Northern Spring