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APOD: Comet Lovejoy in a Winter Sky (2015 Jan 28)
Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2015 5:11 am
by APOD Robot
Comet Lovejoy in a Winter Sky
Explanation: Which of these night sky icons can you find in this beautiful and deep exposure of the northern winter sky? Skylights include the stars in
Orion's
belt, the
Orion Nebula, the
Pleiades star cluster, the bright stars
Betelgeuse and
Rigel, the
California Nebula,
Barnard's Loop, and
Comet Lovejoy. The belt stars of Orion are nearly vertical in the central line between the horizon and the image center, with the lowest belt star obscured by the red glowing
Flame Nebula. To the belt's left is the red arc of Barnard's Loop followed by the bright orange star Betelgeuse, while to the belt's right is the colorful Orion Nebula followed by the bright blue star Rigel. The blue cluster of bright stars near the top center is the Pleiades, and the red nebula to its left is the California nebula. The bright orange dot above the image center is the star Aldebaran, while the green object with the long tail to its right is
Comet C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy). The
featured image was taken about two weeks ago near Palau village in
Spain.
[/b]
Re: APOD: Comet Lovejoy in a Winter Sky (2015 Jan 28)
Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2015 6:43 am
by Ann
That's a lovely image, full of clusters and nebulas and other heavenly goodies, such a joyful comet in this case!
Ann
Re: APOD: Comet Lovejoy in a Winter Sky (2015 Jan 28)
Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2015 11:25 am
by hoohaw
I vividly remember the first time I ever saw Orion: looking out the window of my parents' house at the stars, and saying to myself, hey, I've seen that, in my astronomy book! It really exists! (I pronounced it oh-ree-on, I'd never heard it said.) That was 60 years ago.....
Re: APOD: Comet Lovejoy in a Winter Sky (2015 Jan 28)
Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2015 1:07 pm
by NCTOM
Thank you for labeling images like this. I have found myself too busy to pursue this interest in astronomy the way I would like. These labels bring back information learned long ago and now long forgotten. If possible, please do it more often. I never tire of looking at the wonders of the astronomical creation (and identifying what I am seeing!).
Re: APOD: Comet Lovejoy in a Winter Sky (2015 Jan 28)
Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2015 3:18 pm
by Bellerophon
Is the streak left of Orion's belt a meteor? Above and to the right of Comet Lovejoy I notice a couple of streaks that appear to be aircraft, so I'm not so sure about the "meteor."
Re: APOD: Comet Lovejoy in a Winter Sky (2015 Jan 28)
Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2015 5:20 pm
by geckzilla
Bellerophon wrote:Is the streak left of Orion's belt a meteor? Above and to the right of Comet Lovejoy I notice a couple of streaks that appear to be aircraft, so I'm not so sure about the "meteor."
I think the triple streak represents some satellites glinting. It's hard to say what the one near Orion's belt is. I don't think there are any aircraft in the picture.
Re: APOD: Comet Lovejoy in a Winter Sky (2015 Jan 28)
Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2015 5:47 pm
by Guest30
This is a cool image. Does it look like Orion is shooting a Lovejoy arrow to anyone else??? I'm imagining an epic action scene where Orion leaps backwards just in time to miss the scorpion's stinger and shoots his comet arrow almost straight up into the sky...
![Surprised :o](./images/smilies/icon_surprised.gif)
Re: APOD: Comet Lovejoy in a Winter Sky (2015 Jan 28)
Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2015 6:21 pm
by Chris Peterson
Guest30 wrote:This is a cool image. Does it look like Orion is shooting a Lovejoy arrow to anyone else??? I'm imagining an epic action scene where Orion leaps backwards just in time to miss the scorpion's stinger and shoots his comet arrow almost straight up into the sky... :o
Since Orion is almost exactly on the opposite side of the sky from Scorpius, his best strategy is to stand still. Jumping either forward or backward will bring him closer to that stinger!
Re: APOD: Comet Lovejoy in a Winter Sky (2015 Jan 28)
Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2015 9:56 pm
by Boomer12k
This is just an awesome shot!!! So much and a Comet....just WOW!!!! Great job!!
:---[===] *
Re: APOD: Comet Lovejoy in a Winter Sky (2015 Jan 28)
Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2015 11:28 pm
by Guest30
Precisely, Orion jumped backwards to the other side of the sky (not after getting nicked, that's why he needed the antidote) ...and because he got nicked, his comet arrow missed and got launched out to a perturbed orbit... so the scorpion and Orion retreated to opposite sides of the sky... and they get a rematch in 8000 years (is the 8000 right??? that's when comet Lovejoy comes back??? or was it 800??)
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)