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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:
- Vega and Comet 12P Pons-Brooks
- APOD: 2023 November 26 Á A Dust Jet from the Surface of Comet 67P
- Galaxies and a Comet
- APOD: 2023 September 11 Á Beautiful Comet Nishimura
- APOD: 2023 September 9 Á Comet Nishimura Grows
- APOD: 2023 September 3 Á Comet Schwassmann Wachmann 3 Fragments
- APOD: 2023 August 21 Á Introducing Comet Nishimura