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Credit & Copyright: Dan Bartlett
Explanation:
Comet C/2023 E1 (ATLAS)
was just spotted in March,
another comet found by the NASA funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last
Alert System.
On July 1 this Comet ATLAS reached perihelion,
its closest approach to the Sun.
Shortly afterwards the telescopic comet was
captured in this frame
sporting a pretty greenish coma
and faint, narrow ion tail against a background of stars in the
far northern constellation Ursa Minor.
This comet's closest approach to Earth is still to come though.
On August 18 this
visitor
to the inner Solar System
will be a mere 3 light-minutes or so from our fair planet.
Based
on its
inclination to the ecliptic plane
and
orbital
period of about 85 years C/2023 E1 (ATLAS) is
considered
a
Halley-type comet.
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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