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 November 12

                        Comet ATLAS and Orion's Belt
                  Image Credit & Copyright: Charles Bracken

   Explanation: With its closest approach to planet Earth scheduled for
   November 14, this Comet ATLAS (C/2020 M3) was discovered just this
   summer, another comet found by the NASA funded Asteroid
   Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System. It won't get as bright as Comet
   NEOWISE but it can still be spotted using binoculars, as it currently
   sweeps through the familiar constellation of Orion. This telephoto
   field from November 8, blends exposures registered on the comet with
   exposures registered on Orion's stars. It creates an effectively deep
   skyview that shows colors and details you can't quite see though, even
   in binoculars. The comet's telltale greenish coma is toward the upper
   left, above Orion's three belt stars lined-up across the frame below
   center. You'll also probably spot the Orion Nebula, and famous
   Horsehead Nebula in the stunning field of view. Of course one of
   Orion's belt stars is nearly 2,000 light-years away. On November 14,
   this comet ATLAS will fly a mere 2.9 light-minutes from Earth.

                     Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
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