Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                 2020 June 6

                      Comet PanSTARRs and the Galaxies
                   Image Credit & Copyright: Dan Bartlett

   Explanation: Comet PanSTARRs, C/2017 T2, shared this stunning
   telescopic field of view with galaxies M81 and M82 on May 22/23. Of
   course, the galaxies were some 12 million light-years distant and the
   comet about 14 light-minutes away, seen in planet Earth's sky toward
   the Big Dipper. A new visitor from the Oort Cloud, this Comet PanSTARRs
   was discovered in 2017 by the PanSTARRs survey telescope when the comet
   was over 1 light-hour from the Sun, almost as distant as the orbit of
   Saturn. With a beautiful coma and dust tail, this comet has been a
   solid northern hemisphere performer for telescope wielding comet
   watchers this May, following its closest approach to the Sun on May 4.
   In this deep image from dark California skies the outbound comet even
   seems to develop a short anti-tail as it leaves the inner Solar System.

                    Tomorrow's picture: planetary nebula
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
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