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Credit & Copyright: Fritz Helmut Hemmerich
Explanation:
An old comet has returned to the inner Solar System.
Not only is
Comet
45P/HondaMrkosPajduÀkovÀ physically ancient,
it was first discovered 13 orbits ago in 1948.
Comet 45P spends most of its time out
near the orbit of
Jupiter
and last neared the
Sun in 2011.
Over the past few months, however,
Comet 45P's new sunward plummet has brightened it considerably.
Two days ago, the comet passed the closest part of its orbit to the Sun.
The comet is
currently
visible
with binoculars over the western horizon just after sunset, not far from the much
brighter planet Venus.
Pictured, Comet 45P was captured last week sporting a long
ion tail with impressive structure.
Comet 45P will pass relatively close to the Earth early next month.
APOD Lecture: Friday, Jan. 6,
Amateur Astronomers Association of New York City
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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: 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