Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                 2020 June 6
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                      Comet PanSTARRs and the Galaxies
                Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Dan Bartlett

   Explanation: [5]Comet PanSTARRs, C/2017 T2, shared this stunning
   telescopic field of view with galaxies [6]M81 and M82 on May 22/23. Of
   course, the galaxies were some 12 million light-years distant and the
   comet about 14 light-minutes away, seen in planet Earth's sky toward
   the Big Dipper. A new visitor [7]from the Oort Cloud, this [8]Comet
   PanSTARRs was discovered in 2017 by the PanSTARRs survey telescope when
   the comet was over 1 light-hour from the Sun, almost as distant as the
   orbit of Saturn. With a beautiful [9]coma and dust tail, this comet has
   been a solid northern hemisphere performer for telescope wielding comet
   watchers this May, following its closest approach to the Sun on May 4.
   [10]In this deep image from dark California skies the outbound comet
   even seems to [11]develop a short anti-tail as it leaves the inner
   Solar System.

                    Tomorrow's picture: planetary nebula
     __________________________________________________________________

      [12]< | [13]Archive | [14]Submissions | [15]Index | [16]Search |
   [17]Calendar | [18]RSS | [19]Education | [20]About APOD | [21]Discuss |
                                    [22]>
     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [23]Robert Nemiroff ([24]MTU) & [25]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([26]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [27]Specific rights apply.
              [28]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [29]ASD at [30]NASA / [31]GSFC
                           & [32]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2006/C2017T2_M81M82_May22_23_2020_DEBartlett.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. mailto:%20h2ologg%20[at]%20gmail
   5. http://www.aerith.net/comet/catalog/2017T2/2017T2.html
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200515.html
   7. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/solar-system/oort-cloud/overview/
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200130.html
   9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet
  10. https://youtu.be/SAYS_LFbmoY
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130526.html
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200605.html
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  16. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  21. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=200606
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200607.html
  23. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  24. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  25. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  26. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  28. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  29. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  30. https://www.nasa.gov/
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  32. http://www.mtu.edu/