Credit & Copyright: Michael Horn
Explanation:
Discovered this month with an orbiting solar observatory,
bright Comet SOHO
has now emerged from the Sun's glare.
This telephoto
picture of the new naked-eye comet was taken by
astrophotographer Michael Horn
after sunset in the western twilight above
Lake Samsonvale, Brisbane, Australia on May 18.
The comet
is seen in the
constellation Orion.
Its long lovely tail
stretches nearly 5 degrees to the bright star
Bellatrix, near the top of the image.
For Southern Hemisphere comet watchers,
views of Comet SOHO (1998J1) will improve as
this month draws to a close and
the comet climbs to the south and east
on its
journey outward bound.
In February 1999, NASA plans to launch
the Stardust mission to fly
close to a comet and return samples of
dust from a comet's tail.
January February March April May June July August September October November December |
|
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 - SOHO 1998 J1
Publications with words: comet - SOHO 1998 J1
See also:
- Five Bright Comets from SOHO
- APOD: 2024 October 7 Á The Long Tails of Comet Tsuchinshan ATLAS
- Comet at Moonrise
- APOD: 2024 September 30 Á Comet Tsuchinshan ATLAS over Mexico
- APOD: 2024 September 25 Á Comet A3 Through an Australian Sunrise
- APOD: 2024 September 23 Á Comet Tsuchinshan ATLAS Approaches
- Periodic Comet Swift Tuttle