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 July 9

                    Noctilucent Clouds and Comet NEOWISE
                  Image Credit & Copyright: Emmanuel Paoly

   Explanation: These silvery blue waves washing over a tree-lined horizon
   in the eastern French Alps are noctilucent clouds. From high in planet
   Earth's mesosphere, they reflect sunlight in this predawn skyscape
   taken on July 8. This summer, the night-shining clouds are not new to
   the northern high-latitudes. Comet NEOWISE is though. Also known as
   C/2020 F3, the comet was discovered in March by the Earth-orbiting Near
   Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) satellite.
   It's now emerging in morning twilight only just visible to the unaided
   eye from a clear location above the northeastern horizon.

                     Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
                NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

--- hpt/lnx 1.9.0