This article was posted by CrystalWind.ca.
Stellar Video Shows Comet Leonard as It Zips by Earth For The 1st Time in 80,000 Years
- Details
- Written by Nancy Atkinson, Universe Today
Since early this year, skywatchers on Earth have been tracking Comet Leonard, a kilometer-wide dirty snowball made of ice, rock, and dust.
Now, as it heads towards a close encounter with the Sun on 3 January 2022, several spacecraft – with the distinct advantage of having an unobstructed front-row seat to the action – have been keeping an eye on how the comet is changing and evolving as it heats up.
In particular, two satellites designed to observe the Sun have captured recent video of the brightening Comet Leonard as it speeds past the Earth for the first time in 80,000 years.
The Solar Orbiter Heliospheric Imager (SoloHI) captured an incredible animated sequence of images late last week (Dec. 17-19) that shows Comet Leonard streaking diagonally across the field of view.
The Milky Way can be seen, as well as Venus and Mercury, visible in the top right. Venus is brighter and moves from left to right.
An amazing view!
When SoloHI took these images, the comet was approximately between the Sun and the spacecraft, with the comet's gas and dust tails pointing towards the spacecraft.
Toward the end of the image sequence, the view of both of the tails improves as the viewing angle at which we see the comet increases, and SoloHI gets a side-on view of the comet.
So yeah, comet Leonard has definitely kicked into a new gear over the past couple of days. Check out that tail action!
These are highly-processed images from our @USNRL SECCHI/HI-2 camera @NASASun STEREO-A on Dec 14.
[
© CrystalWind.ca 2024. All content (articles, imagery, fair use) & design protected. Written permission required for copying. All rights reserved.
Join the Conversation Now! Comment Below!
Spirit Animal Totem Of The Day!
Crystal Of The Day!
Latest Articles
The Crystal Wind Oracle
Myth & Magic Card Deck!
Details Here!
NEW Expanded
Printed & Boxed!
Now with 58 cards!
CrystalWind.ca is free to use because of
donations from people like you.
Donate Now »
Unlock Your Light: Join Lightworkers Worldwide on CrystalWind.ca!
Articles: The Founders
Articles: Cosmic Neighbours
Articles: Galactic History
Follow Us!
Who is Online Now
We have 35184 guests and no members online
Featured This Month
Frogs Return Moon
Beaver – Chrysocolla - Blue Camas – Blue April 20 – May 20 The Frogs Retur... Read more
The Seven Chakras and their Meanings
If you could imagine chakras as circles of energy, flowing all the way throu... Read more
The Time of No Time: Beltane!
Around the medicine wheel of life we go, from season to season (solstice to ... Read more
Sun in Taurus
Sun in Taurus April 21 through May 21 An Overview of Sun Sign Characteristi... Read more
Taurus Mythology
The Taurus Myth The Taurus myth is most often interpreted as the story of Z... Read more
Cartomancy - Fortune Telling Using Playing C…
Cartomancy is the act of divining using cards. Divining means to find out by... Read more
Bright Beltane Blessings!
The wheel turns to Beltane, also known as Mayday, marking the beginning of S... Read more
The Crystal Wind Oracle Card Deck
The Crystal Wind Oracle™ The Crystal Wind Oracle Myth & Magic Card D... Read more