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APOD
Astronomy Picture of the Day
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.
Comet ATLAS Rounds the Sun
Explanation: Why does Comet ATLAS have such colorful tails? Last week Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) passed its closest to the Sun -- well inside the orbit of Mercury -- and brightened dramatically . Unfortunately, the comet was then so angularly near the Sun that it was very hard for human s to see. But NASA's SOHO spacecraft saw it. Pictured is a SOHO ( LASCO C3) image of Comet ATLAS that is a composite of several different color filters. Of the several tails visible, the central white tails are likely made of dust and just reflecting back sunlight. The red, blue, and green tails are likely ion tails with their colors dominated by light emitted by specific gases that were ejected from the comet and energized by the Sun. Currently, Comet ATLAS is showing long tails in southern skies but fading as it moves out of the inner Solar System .
Growing Gallery: Comet ATLAS (G3)
| Date | January 20, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Credit | Image Credit: NASA , SOHO Spacecraft , LASCO C3; Processing: Rolando Ligustri |
| Authors & editors: | Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP) |
| A service of: |
ASD at NASA / GSFC, NASA Science Activation & Michigan Tech. U. |