彗星12P/庞士-布鲁克斯的彗尾结构

2024年2月16日

Structure in the Tail of Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks
Image Credit & Copyright: Dan Bartlett`

Explanation: Heading for its next perihelion passage on April 21, Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is growing brighter. The greenish coma of this periodic Halley-type comet has become relatively easy to observe in small telescopes. But the bluish ion tail now streaming from the active comet’s coma and buffeted by the solar wind, is faint and difficult to follow. Still, in this image stacked exposures made on the night of February 11 reveal the fainter tail’s detailed structures. The frame spans over two degrees across a background of faint stars and background galaxies toward the northern constellation Lacerta. Of course Comet 12P’s April 21 perihelion passage will be only two weeks after the April 8 total solar eclipse, putting the comet in planet Earth’s sky along with a totally eclipsed Sun.

Tomorrow’s picture: light-weekend

彗星12P/庞士-布鲁克斯的彗尾结构
影像提供与版权: Dan Bartlett`

说明: 彗星12P/庞士-布鲁克斯将于4月21日再次运行到近日点，而它的亮度也不断在增加。因此这颗哈雷型的周期彗星之泛绿彗发，已变得较容易使用小望远镜加以观测。但是从这颗活跃彗星的彗发流出、受到太阳风吹拂的 泛蓝离子尾，目前仍然很昏淡难以辨认。不过，在这张摄于2月11日晚的叠合影像里，已不难分辨出昏暗彗尾的细部结构。此外，在这片2度多宽、远眺北天蝎虎座的视野里，还可见到大量的背景恒星和星系。彗星12P在4月21日来到近日点时，与4月8日的日全食相隔不到2星期，也因此全食日将与这颗彗星同时出现在地球的天空中。 （Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks 彗星12P/庞士-布鲁克斯）

明日的图片: light-weekend