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.

                               2021 December 3
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                     Comet Leonard and the Whale Galaxy
                Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Gregg Ruppel

   Explanation: [5]Sweeping through northern predawn skies, on November 24
   [6]Comet Leonard (C/2021 A1) was caught between two galaxies in this
   [7]composite telescopic image. Sporting a greenish coma the comet's
   dusty tail seems to harpoon the [8]heart of NGC 4631 (top) also known
   as the Whale Galaxy. Of course [9]NGC 4631 and NGC 4656 (bottom, aka
   the Hockey Stick) are background galaxies some 25 million light-years
   away. On that date the comet was about 6 light-minutes from our fair
   planet. Its closest approach to Earth (and even closer approach [10]to
   Venus) still to come, [11]Comet Leonard will grow brighter in December.
   [12]Already a good object for binoculars and small telescopes, this
   comet will likely not return to the inner Solar System. Its perihelion,
   or closest approach to the Sun, will be on January 3, 2022.

                      Tomorrow's picture: light-weekend
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    Authors & editors: [24]Robert Nemiroff ([25]MTU) & [26]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([27]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [28]Specific rights apply.
              [29]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [30]ASD at [31]NASA / [32]GSFC
                           & [33]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2112/ngc4656_4631_A1-LRGB_112421.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. http://www.greggsastronomy.com/
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211121.html
   6. https://theskylive.com/cometleonard-info
   7. http://www.greggsastronomy.com/c2021%20A1%20Leonard.html
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100517.html
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090821.html
  10. https://arxiv.org/abs/2107.12370
  11. https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/comet-leonard-might-become-2021s-brightest-2022/
  12. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/resources/2671/whats-up-december-2021/
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211202.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  17. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  22. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=211203
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211204.html
  24. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  25. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  27. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  29. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  30. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/
  32. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  33. http://www.mtu.edu/