by APOD Robot » Sun Dec 12, 2021 5:05 am
Comet Leonard Before Star Cluster M3
Explanation: Comet Leonard is now visible to the unaided eye -- but just barely. Passing nearest to the Earth today, the comet is
best seen this week soon after sunset, toward the west, low on the horizon. Currently
best visible in the north, by late December the comet will best be seen from south of
Earth's equator. The featured image of
Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard) was taken a week ago from
California,
USA. The deep exposure
shows in great detail the comet's
green gas
coma and developing
dust tail. The comet -- across our inner
Solar System and only light-minutes away -- was
captured passing nearly in front of
globular star cluster
M3. In contrast,
M3 is about 35,000 light-
years away. In a week, Comet Leonard will
pass unusually close to Venus, but will
continue on and be at its closest to the Sun in early January.
[url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211212.html] [img]https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/S_211212.jpg[/img] [size=150]Comet Leonard Before Star Cluster M3[/size][/url]
[b] Explanation: [/b] Comet Leonard is now visible to the unaided eye -- but just barely. Passing nearest to the Earth today, the comet is [url=https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/comet-leonard-might-become-2021s-brightest-2022/]best seen[/url] this week soon after sunset, toward the west, low on the horizon. Currently [url=http://www.aerith.net/comet/catalog/2021A1/mag2.gif]best visible[/url] in the north, by late December the comet will best be seen from south of [url=https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/equator_.png]Earth's equator[/url]. The featured image of [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2021_A1_(Leonard)]Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard)[/url] was taken a week ago from [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California]California[/url], [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States]USA[/url]. The deep exposure [url=https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/two-cats-watching-intently-scared-59713174.jpg]shows in great detail[/url] the comet's [url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2018/08/09/this-is-why-comets-glow-an-eerie-green-color/]green[/url] gas [url=https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/comet-nucleus/en/]coma[/url] and developing [url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210308.html]dust tail[/url]. The comet -- across our inner [url=https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/solar-system/our-solar-system/in-depth/]Solar System[/url] and only light-minutes away -- was [url=https://vimeo.com/652658994]captured passing[/url] nearly in front of [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globular_cluster]globular[/url] star cluster [url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070415.html]M3[/url]. In contrast, [url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070609.html]M3[/url] is about 35,000 light-[i]years [/i] away. In a week, Comet Leonard will [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2021_A1_(Leonard)#/media/File:Animation_of_C%EF%BC%8F2021_A1's_orbit_around_Sun_-_2021_close_approach.gif]pass unusually close to Venus[/url], but will [url=https://theskylive.com/cometleonard-info]continue on[/url] and be at its closest to the Sun in early January.
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