MSGID: 1:153/757.0 1930278d
TZUTC: -0700
CHRS: LATIN-1 2
                        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.

                               2024 October 21
    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: Brian Fulda

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

     Your Sky Surprise: What picture did APOD feature on your birthday?
                                 (post 1995)
                      Tomorrow's picture: star pillars
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
                  NASA Web Privacy, Accessibility, Notices;
                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

--- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-7
 * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)
SEEN-BY: 90/1 105/81 106/201 129/305 134/100 153/135 143 148 151 757
SEEN-BY: 153/6809 7083 7715 218/700 840 221/1 6 360 226/30 227/114
SEEN-BY: 229/110 114 206 307 317 400 426 428 470 664 700 240/1120
SEEN-BY: 266/512 282/1038 291/111 301/1 113 812 320/219 322/757 335/364
SEEN-BY: 341/66 342/200 396/45 460/58 256 1124 633/280 712/848 5020/400
SEEN-BY: 5020/1042 5054/30 5075/35
PATH: 153/757 221/6 301/1 460/58 229/426