Posted on 01/13/2025 12:02:34 PM PST by MtnClimber
Explanation: Comet ATLAS is really bright now, but also really close to the Sun. Outside the glow of the Sun, Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) would be one of the more remarkable comet sights of recent years, reflecting about as much sunlight to Earth as Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS did in October, and now rivaling even planet Venus. But the giant snowball is now so close to the Sun that it can only be seen through the light of the early morning dawn or the early evening dusk. Today, Comet ATLAS is at perihelion -- its closest ever to the Sun. Although the future brightness of comets is notoriously hard to predict, there is hope that Comet ATLAS will survive its close pass near the Sun and remain bright enough to be seen with the unaided eye over the next few days -- and possibly a good camera comet for weeks. The featured image was taken early yesterday morning near Tornaฤพa, Slovakia.
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.
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The comet is faint against the bright sky about 3 to 4 arrow lengths below the arrow in the photo. If it was at night it would be spectacular.
If it was night it would be below the horizon!...............
Light diffraction over the horizon may have made the sky bright before sunrise.
Looks like my brother’s painting
I will try to see it. Its 22F. I might be able to see it from my front stoop
https://www.astroleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2025-Jan-13-Moon-occults-Mars.pdf
Lunar occultation of Mars across the contiguous United States: Jan. 13. Extreme southern US sees Mars move behind the southern portion of the moon, and the northern US sees the planet move behind the northern portion of the moon.
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Approximate local times of disappearance and reappearance.
Begin viewing ten minutes before your estimated time. Mars' time and position of reappearance is difficult to judge since the planet
City Disappearance Reappearance
Albuquerque 6:51 pm 7:52
Augusta 9:29 10:44
Atlanta 9:06 10:13
Boise 7:06 7:49
Boston 9:26 10:42
Chicago 8:08 9:16
Dallas 7:54 8:57
Denver 6:57 7:57
Kansas City 8:00 9:06
Memphis 8:00 9:07
Minneapolis 8:08 9:10
Los Angeles 5:51 6:45
Miami 9:30 9:53
New Orleans 8:00 8:59
New York 9:21 10:37
Phoenix 6:49 7:48
Salt Lake City 6:59 7:52
San Antonio 7:52 8:50
San Diego 5:49 6:45
San Francisco 5:58 6:45
Seattle 6:23 6:39
Washington DC 9:16 10:31
More info at:
https://spaceweather.com/
There is a good picture from the solar satillite of comet Atlas passing the sun!
COMET ATLAS IS BUZZING THE SUN: Sungrazing Comet ATLAS (C/2024 G3) is making its closest approach to the sun today. Coronagraphs onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) are recording the encounter. So far, the comet looks big, healthy and intact:
MtnClimber;
Great comet and sunrise picture today! Thanks!
It is raining here. I can’t see anything.
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