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 November 12
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                        Comet ATLAS and Orion's Belt
               Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Charles Bracken

   Explanation: With its closest approach to planet Earth scheduled for
   November 14, this Comet ATLAS (C/2020 M3) was discovered just this
   summer, another comet found by the NASA funded [5]Asteroid
   Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System. It won't get as bright [6]as
   Comet NEOWISE but it can still be spotted using binoculars, as it
   [7]currently sweeps through the familiar constellation of Orion. This
   telephoto field from November 8, blends exposures registered on the
   comet with exposures registered on Orion's stars. It creates an
   effectively deep skyview that shows colors and details you can't quite
   see though, even in binoculars. The comet's telltale greenish coma is
   toward the upper left, above Orion's three belt stars lined-up across
   the frame below center. You'll also probably spot the Orion Nebula, and
   famous Horsehead Nebula in the stunning field of view. [8]Of course one
   of Orion's belt stars is nearly 2,000 light-years away. On November 14,
   [9]this comet ATLAS will fly a mere 2.9 light-minutes from Earth.

                     Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space
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    Authors & editors: [21]Robert Nemiroff ([22]MTU) & [23]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([24]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [25]Specific rights apply.
              [26]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [27]ASD at [28]NASA / [29]GSFC
                           & [30]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2011/C2020M3Orion_CharlesBracken.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://digitalstars.wordpress.com/
   5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_Terrestrial-impact_Last_Alert_System
   6. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-blogs/explore-night-bob-king/comets-crawl-through-the-skies-at-dawn-and-dusk/
   7. https://earthsky.org/space/comet-c-2020-m3-atlas-closest-to-earth-nov-14-2020
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200919.html
   9. https://theskylive.com/how-far-is-c2020m3
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201111.html
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  14. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  19. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=201112
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201113.html
  21. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  22. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  23. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  24. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  26. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  27. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  28. https://www.nasa.gov/
  29. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  30. http://www.mtu.edu/