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Credit & Copyright: Dan Bartlett
Explanation:
Comet C/2023 E1 (ATLAS)
was just spotted in March,
another comet found by the NASA funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last
Alert System.
On July 1 this Comet ATLAS reached perihelion,
its closest approach to the Sun.
Shortly afterwards the telescopic comet was
captured in this frame
sporting a pretty greenish coma
and faint, narrow ion tail against a background of stars in the
far northern constellation Ursa Minor.
This comet's closest approach to Earth is still to come though.
On August 18 this
visitor
to the inner Solar System
will be a mere 3 light-minutes or so from our fair planet.
Based
on its
inclination to the ecliptic plane
and
orbital
period of about 85 years C/2023 E1 (ATLAS) is
considered
a
Halley-type comet.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: comet
Publications with words: comet
See also:
- APOD: 2024 June 4 Á Comet Pons Brooks Develops Opposing Tails
- APOD: 2024 April 17 Á Total Eclipse and Comets
- APOD: 2024 April 8 Á The Changing Ion Tail of Comet Pons Brooks
- Comet Pons-Brooks at Night
- APOD: 2024 March 18 Á Comet Pons Brooks Swirling Coma
- Comet 12P/Pons Brooks in Northern Spring
- Structure in the Tail of Comet 12P/Pons Brooks