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Astronomy Picture of the Day - The Comet and the Fireball
APOD.NASA.gov ^ | 20 Dec, 2021 | Image Credit & Copyright: Cory Poole

Posted on 12/20/2021 3:30:08 PM PST by MtnClimber

Explanation: This picture was supposed to feature a comet. Specifically, a series of images of the brightest comet of 2021 were being captured: Comet Leonard. But the universe had other plans. Within a fraction of a second, a meteor so bright it could be called a fireball streaked through just below the comet. And the meteor's flash was even more green than the comet's coma. The cause of the meteor's green was likely magnesium evaporating from the meteor's pebble-sized core, while the cause of the comet's green was likely diatomic carbon recently ejected from the comet's city-sized nucleus. The images were taken 10 days ago over the Sacramento River and Mt. Lassen in California, USA. The fireball was on the leading edge of this year's Geminid Meteor Shower -- which peaked a few days later. Comet Leonard is now fading after reaching naked-eye visibility last week -- but now is moving into southern skies.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; astronomy; comet; cometleonard; comets; fireball; geminid; geminids; greencomet; meteor; meteors; nasa; science
To be added or removed from the Astronomy Picture of the Day ping list please send me a request via "Private Reply" (Mail).

For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

1 posted on 12/20/2021 3:30:08 PM PST by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 12/20/2021 3:30:32 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; abb; AFB-XYZ; America_Right; AZ .44 MAG; BBB333; ...
Pinging the APOD list.

πŸͺ 🌟 🌌 πŸ”


3 posted on 12/20/2021 3:31:08 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

bttt


4 posted on 12/20/2021 3:39:23 PM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire. Or both.)
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To: MtnClimber
And the Colorado rocky mountain high
I've seen it raining fire in the sky

The comet actually looks blue to me in this pic.
5 posted on 12/20/2021 3:41:06 PM PST by Telepathic Intruder
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To: MtnClimber

What a great β€œin the right place at the right time” shot!


6 posted on 12/20/2021 4:25:18 PM PST by telescope115 (Proud member of the ANTIFAuci movement. )
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To: MtnClimber

Great picture! Magnificent fireball!


7 posted on 12/20/2021 8:04:11 PM PST by Pete from Shawnee Mission
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To: MtnClimber

Alien warship firing multiple times.


8 posted on 12/20/2021 8:06:14 PM PST by minnesota_bound (I need more money. )
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To: MtnClimber

Now that is an amazing catch. A jaw-dropper for any cool cat.


9 posted on 12/21/2021 7:55:05 AM PST by gloryblaze
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