Hale-Bopp's Fickle Ion Tail
14.05.1997

What's happening to Comet Hale-Bopp's blue ion tail? The comet's ion tail is fluctuating more rapidly as it passes a region of changing solar wind. As the comet passes from north to south, it crosses the plane of the Sun's equator, where the solar magnetic field changes direction.

An Ion Drive for Deep Space 1
26.10.1998

Space travel entered the age of the ion drive Saturday with the launch of Deep Space 1, a NASA mission designed primarily to test new technologies. Deep Space 1 is bound for asteroid 1992 KD in July 1999.

A Split Ion Tail for Comet Lovejoy E4
25.04.2017

What's happened to Comet Lovejoy? In the pictured image, a processed composite, the comet was captured early this month after brightening unexpectedly and sporting a long and intricate ion tail. Remarkably, the typically...

The Dust and Ion Tales of Comet Hale-Bopp
22.05.2005

In 1997, Comet Hale-Bopp's intrinsic brightness exceeded any comet since 1811. Since it peaked on the other side of the Earth's orbit, however, the comet appeared only brighter than any comet in two decades. Visible above are the two tails shed by Comet Hale-Bopp.

APOD: 2024 March 26 Б Comet Pons Brooks Ion Tail
26.03.2024

Comet Pons-Brooks has quite a tail to tell. First discovered in 1385, this erupting dirty snowball loops back into our inner Solar System every 71 years and, this time, is starting to put on a show for deep camera exposures.

The Dust and Ion Tails of Comet Hale Bopp
27.12.2000

In 1977, Comet Hale-Bopp's intrinsic brightness exceeded any comet since 1811. Since it peaked on the other side of the Earth's orbit, however, the comet appeared only brighter than any comet in two decades. Visible above are the two tails shed by Comet Hale-Bopp.

APOD: 2024 April 8 Б The Changing Ion Tail of Comet Pons Brooks
8.04.2024

How does a comet tail change? It depends on the comet. The ion tail of Comet 12P/PonsБBrooks has been changing markedly, as detailed in the featured image sequenced over nine days from March 6 to 14 (top to bottom).

The Ion Tail of New Comet SWAN
29.04.2020

Newly discovered Comet SWAN has already developed an impressive tail. The comet came in from the outer Solar System and has just passed inside the orbit of the Earth. Officially designated C/2020 F8 (SWAN)...

An Ion Drive for Deep Space 1
20.07.2003

Space travel entered the age of the ion drive in 1998 with the launch of Deep Space 1, a NASA mission designed primarily to test new technologies. Although the ion drive on Deep Space...

The Ion Tail of Comet Hyakutake
19.03.1996

This picture of Comet Hyakutake was taken on March 14, 1996. Structure in the ion tale of Comet Hyakutake is now clearly visible. An ion tale forms as a comet nears the Sun. Sunlight causes gas and dust to boil off the comet's solid nucleus.