APOD: Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS over California (2024 Oct 21)

[APOD Robot]

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS over California

Explanation: The tails of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS were a sight to behold. Pictured, C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) was captured near peak impressiveness last week over the Eastern Sierra Mountains in California, USA. The comet not only showed a bright tail, but a distinct anti-tail pointing in nearly the opposite direction. The globular star cluster M5 can be seen on the right, far in the distance. As it approached, it was unclear if this crumbling iceberg would disintegrate completely as it warmed in the bright sunlight. In reality, the comet survived to become brighter than any star in the night (magnitude -4.9), but unfortunately was then so nearly in front of the Sun that it was hard for many casual observers to locate. Whether Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas becomes known as the Great Comet of 2024 now depends, in part, on how impressive incoming comet C/2024 S1 (ATLAS) becomes over the next two weeks.

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[Ann]

I should not be the first one to comment, given what I'm going to say, but... I'm the Color Commentator, and I've got to ask - what color is that comet???

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS over California Credit & Copyright: Brian Fulda

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I looked through a number of shades of yellow to try to find the hue that matches the comet. I think it is this one, ███. The name of this hue, if you are interested, is Earth Yellow.

Star cluster M5 also looks yellowish. But its color is more reasonable, as we expect the brightest stars of a globular cluster to be red giants. Even so, I'd say that it looks as if "the yellow channel may have been saturated".

To me it is impossible to disregard the weird color of the comet. Nevertheless, the picture is impressive. It could have been a still from a science fiction movie where alien invaders fire an Earth Yellow-colored death ray at the Eastern Sierra Mountains of California.

Scary!!!

Ann

[AVAO]

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS over California

Explanation: The tails of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS were a sight to behold. Pictured, C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) was captured near peak impressiveness last week over the Eastern Sierra Mountains in California, USA. The comet not only showed a bright tail, but a distinct anti-tail pointing in nearly the opposite direction. The globular star cluster M5 can be seen on the right, far in the distance. As it approached, it was unclear if this crumbling iceberg would disintegrate completely as it warmed in the bright sunlight. In reality, the comet survived to become brighter than any star in the night (magnitude -4.9), but unfortunately was then so nearly in front of the Sun that it was hard for many casual observers to locate. Whether Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas becomes known as the Great Comet of 2024 now depends, in part, on how impressive incoming comet C/2024 S1 (ATLAS) becomes over the next two weeks.

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Great image by Brian Fulda showing the amazing comet and its antitail pointing almost in the opposite direction.
Also interesting is M5, the "small" star cluster next to it. In "reality" it is much larger than it appears in the photo.

Click to view full size image 1 or image 2

Original picture, Credit & Copyright: Brian Fulda - APOD 2024 October 21 - Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS over California


In the image from Brian Fulda you can already see the inner flower-shaped structure of the cluster very well. This becomes very obvious in the UV, e.g. from GALEX.

Click to view full size image

Original data: NASA/ESA (GALEX)

Click to view full size image 1 or image 2

Original data: NASA/ESA (GALEX and RGB (Red:SST, Green:HST, Blue:GALEX)

Click to view full size image 1 or image 2

Original data: composit with HST-infill

Click to view full size image

Credit: NASA/ESA (HST)
ZOOOM: https://esahubble.org/images/potw1118a/zoomable/

[johnnydeep]

In the image from Brian Fulda you can already see the inner flower-shaped structure of the cluster [M5] very well. This becomes very obvious in the UV, e.g. from GALEX.

I see no structure other than a cloud of stars whose density increases toward the center.

[Ann]

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS over California

Explanation: The tails of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS were a sight to behold. Pictured, C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) was captured near peak impressiveness last week over the Eastern Sierra Mountains in California, USA. The comet not only showed a bright tail, but a distinct anti-tail pointing in nearly the opposite direction. The globular star cluster M5 can be seen on the right, far in the distance. As it approached, it was unclear if this crumbling iceberg would disintegrate completely as it warmed in the bright sunlight. In reality, the comet survived to become brighter than any star in the night (magnitude -4.9), but unfortunately was then so nearly in front of the Sun that it was hard for many casual observers to locate. Whether Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas becomes known as the Great Comet of 2024 now depends, in part, on how impressive incoming comet C/2024 S1 (ATLAS) becomes over the next two weeks.

<< Previous APOD

This Day in APOD

Next APOD >>

Great image by Brian Fulda showing the amazing comet and its antitail pointing almost in the opposite direction.
Also interesting is M5, the "small" star cluster next to it. In "reality" it is much larger than it appears in the photo.

Click to view full size image 1 or image 2

Original picture, Credit & Copyright: Brian Fulda - APOD 2024 October 21 - Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS over California


In the image from Brian Fulda you can already see the inner flower-shaped structure of the cluster very well. This becomes very obvious in the UV, e.g. from GALEX.

Click to view full size image

Original data: NASA/ESA (GALEX)

Click to view full size image 1 or image 2

Original data: NASA/ESA (GALEX and RGB (Red:SST, Green:HST, Blue:GALEX)

Click to view full size image 1 or image 2

Original data: composit with HST-infill

Click to view full size image

Credit: NASA/ESA (HST)
ZOOOM: https://esahubble.org/images/potw1118a/zoomable/

Thanks again for your beautiful images, Jac! I very much like your "enlargement" of cluster M5 relative to the comet, and I'm particularly partial to the "GALEX only" image at top - how I miss GALEX!!! - and to your next, very colorful image. Thank you! (Of course the Hubble zoom is just great, too...)

Ann

[AVAO]

In the image from Brian Fulda you can already see the inner flower-shaped structure of the cluster [M5] very well. This becomes very obvious in the UV, e.g. from GALEX.

I see no structure other than a cloud of stars whose density increases toward the center.

Well, as Ann wrote, with GALEX you can still see the structure with a little imagination. You have to imagine the leaves yourself.
...But I just like cosmic roses, whether in UV or IR ,-) ...

Click to view full size image

IC 5146: The Cocoon Nebula (APOD 2024 Aug 19) Original data: NASA/ESA (SST)
compare: viewtopic.php?p=340086#p340086

[johnnydeep]

In the image from Brian Fulda you can already see the inner flower-shaped structure of the cluster [M5] very well. This becomes very obvious in the UV, e.g. from GALEX.

I see no structure other than a cloud of stars whose density increases toward the center.

Well, as Ann wrote, with GALEX you can still see the structure with a little imagination. You have to imagine the leaves yourself.
...But I just like cosmic roses, whether in UV or IR ,-) ...

Click to view full size image

IC 5146: The Cocoon Nebula (APOD 2024 Aug 19) Original data: NASA/ESA (SST)
compare: viewtopic.php?p=340086#p340086

Ok, that image shows structure, but where is this GALEX image of M5 that does too? I don't seem to see it in either yours or Ann's post.

[Ann]

I see no structure other than a cloud of stars whose density increases toward the center.

Well, as Ann wrote, with GALEX you can still see the structure with a little imagination. You have to imagine the leaves yourself.
...But I just like cosmic roses, whether in UV or IR ,-) ...

Click to view full size image

IC 5146: The Cocoon Nebula (APOD 2024 Aug 19) Original data: NASA/ESA (SST)
compare: viewtopic.php?p=340086#p340086

Ok, that image shows structure, but where is this GALEX image of M5 that does too? I don't seem to see it in either yours or Ann's post.

The GALEX image of M5 is this one.

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There is no nebulosity around M5, but in ultraviolet light I still think it looks a bit like a rose!

Ann

[johnnydeep]

Well, as Ann wrote, with GALEX you can still see the structure with a little imagination. You have to imagine the leaves yourself.
...But I just like cosmic roses, whether in UV or IR ,-) ...

Click to view full size image

IC 5146: The Cocoon Nebula (APOD 2024 Aug 19) Original data: NASA/ESA (SST)
compare: viewtopic.php?p=340086#p340086

Ok, that image shows structure, but where is this GALEX image of M5 that does too? I don't seem to see it in either yours or Ann's post.

The GALEX image of M5 is this one.

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There is no nebulosity around M5, but in ultraviolet light I still think it looks a bit like a rose!


M5 ultaviolet rose GALEX Jac Berne.png


Ann

Thanks. I see it now, but requires a heaping dose of "fill in the blanks"!