Introducing Comet Leonard

Right here comes Comet Leonard. Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard) was figured out as a faint smudge in January 2021 when it was out past Mars — nonetheless its orbit will make a selection the mountainous shedding ice-ball into the interior Solar Machine, passing halt to both Earth and Venus in December before it swoops around the Solar in early January 2022. Though comets are notoriously exhausting to predict, some estimations have Comet Leonard brightening to change into considered to the unaided seek for in December. Comet Leonard was captured appropriate over a week in the past already carrying a green-tinged coma and an prolonged mud tail. The featured image was restful from 62 photography taken by a moderate-sized telescope — one disclose of exposures tracking the comet, while one other disclose tracking the background stars. The exposures were taken from the darkish skies above the Jap Sierras (Mountains), halt to June Lake in California, USA. Quickly after passing halt to the Earth in mid-December, the comet will shift from northern to southern skies. APOD Editor (RJN) Online Monday: NASA’s Most effective House Photos (& Movies)