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.

                               2023 January 21
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                             Naked-eye Comet ZTF
     Image Credit & [3]Copyright: Óscar Martín Mesonero ([4]Organización
                 Salmantina de la Astronáutica y el Espacio)

   Explanation: Comet C/2022E3 (ZTF) is no longer too dim to require a
   telescope for viewing. By January 19, it [5]could just be seen with the
   naked eye in this rural sky with little light pollution from a location
   about 20 kilometers from Salamanca, Spain. [6]Still, telescopic images
   are needed to show any hint of the comet's pretty green coma, stubby
   whitish dust tail, and long ion tail. [7]Its faint ion tail has been
   buffeted by [8]recent solar activity. This visitor from the [9]distant
   Oort cloud rounded the Sun on January 12. and is now sweeping through
   stars near the [10]northern boundary of the constellation Bootes.
   [11]Outward bound but still growing brighter, Comet ZTF makes its
   closest approach on February 2, coming to within about 2.4
   light-minutes of our fair planet.

                    Tomorrow's picture: in green company
     __________________________________________________________________

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    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]NASA Science Activation
                           & [33]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2301/ZTF_salamanca.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://www.osae.info/
   5. https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/new-comet-might-get-bright-enough-for-binoculars/
   6. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/spot-circumpolar-comet-ztf-c-2022-e3-in-binoculars/
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230109.html
   8. https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=19&month=01&year=2023
   9. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/solar-system/oort-cloud/in-depth/
  10. https://theskylive.com/c2022e3-info#ephemeris
  11. http://astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2022E3
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230120.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=230121
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230122.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. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  33. http://www.mtu.edu/