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.

                               2024 October 21
   [2]A starfield is shown with a bright comet. The main tail of the comet
    points diagonally to the upper left, while a thin anti-tail points to
      the lower right. Mountain peaks are visible at the bottom in the
    foreground. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                   Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS over California
                     Credit & Copyright: [3]Brian Fulda

   Explanation: The tails of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS were a sight to
   behold. Pictured, C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) was captured near peak
   impressiveness last week over the [4]Eastern Sierra Mountains in
   [5]California, [6]USA. The comet not only showed a [7]bright tail, but
   a distinct [8]anti-tail pointing in nearly the opposite direction. The
   [9]globular star cluster [10]M5 can be seen on the right, far in the
   distance. As it approached, it was unclear if this [11]crumbling
   iceberg would [12]disintegrate completely as it warmed in the bright
   sunlight. In reality, the comet survived to become brighter than
   [13]any star in the night ([14]magnitude -4.9), but unfortunately was
   then so [15]nearly in front of the Sun that it was hard for many casual
   observers to locate. Whether [16]Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas becomes known
   as the [17]Great Comet of 2024 now depends, in part, on how impressive
   [18]incoming comet [19]C/2024 S1 (ATLAS) becomes over the next two
   weeks.

   Your Sky Surprise: [20]What picture did APOD feature on your birthday?
                                 (post 1995)
                      Tomorrow's picture: star pillars
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    Authors & editors: [32]Robert Nemiroff ([33]MTU) & [34]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([35]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [36]Specific rights apply.
            [37]NASA Web Privacy, [38]Accessibility, [39]Notices;
                A service of: [40]ASD at [41]NASA / [42]GSFC,
                         [43]NASA Science Activation
                           & [44]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2410/CometA3_Fulda_2549.jpg
   3. https://www.brianfulda.com/about
   4. https://youtu.be/wMXS2p3Knzk?t=47
   5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California
   6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210308.html
   8. https://earthsky.org/space/comet-a3-has-an-anti-tail-can-you-see-it/
   9. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/star-clusters-inside-the-universes-stellar-collections/
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190509.html
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150203.html
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230903.html
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_brightest_stars
  14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apparent_magnitude#List_of_apparent_magnitudes
  15. https://i0.wp.com/picjumbo.com/wp-content/uploads/dog-with-sunglasses-on-a-paddleboard-free-photo.jpg?w=2210&quality=70
  16. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=APOD.Sky&set=a.516503464411569
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220408.html
  18. http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iau/cbet/005400/CBET005453.txt
  19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2024_S1_(ATLAS)
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241020.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  25. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  27. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  30. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=241021
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241022.html
  32. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  34. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  35. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  36. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  37. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  40. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  43. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  44. http://www.mtu.edu/