Posted on 01/09/2023 1:27:31 PM PST by MtnClimber
Explanation: Comet ZTF may become visible to the unaided eye. Discovered early last year, this massive snowball has been brightening as it approaches the Sun and the Earth. C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will be closest to the Sun later this week, at which time it may become visible even without binoculars to northern observers with a clear and dark sky. As they near the Sun, comet brightnesses are notoriously hard to predict, though. In the featured image taken last week in front of a picturesque star field, three blue ion tails extend to the upper right, likely the result of a variable solar wind on ions ejected by the icy comet nucleus. The comet's white dust tail is visible to the upper left and much shorter. The green glow is the comet's coma, caused by glowing carbon gas. Comet ZTF is expected to pass nearest the Earth in early February, after which it should dim dramatically.
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.
bttt
Tails are in fashion. So are cumberbunds.
I’m always in the mood for a little tail.
L
Cummerbund.
(There’s nothing very encumbering about cummerbunds.)
Cool picture! I’ve seen comet photos with one ion tail and one dust tail, but never three ion tails.
That is a Romulan bird-of-prey firing it’s plasma torpedo.
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