Explanation:
Go outside tonight and see Comet Lulin.
From a dark location, you should need only a
goodstarmap and
admirable perseverance --
although wide-field binoculars might help.
Yesterday,
Comet Lulin passed its closest to Earth, so that the comet will remain near its brightest over the next few days.
The comet is currently almost 180 degrees around from the Sun and
so visible nearly all night long, but will appear to
move on the sky
about 10 full moons a night.
Pictured above,
Comet Lulin was captured in spectacular form two nights ago from New Mexico, USA.
The central coma of the comet is appearing quite green, a color likely
indicating glowing molecular
carbon gasses.
Bright stars and a distant
spiral galaxy
are clearly visible in the image background.
The yellow dust tail, reflecting sunlight, is
visible sprawling to the coma's left trailing behind
the comet, while the textured bluish-glowing ion tail is visible to the coma's right, pointing away from the Sun.
Over the past few weeks, from the current vantage point of Earth, these
two tails appeared to point in opposite directions.
Comet Lulin is expected to slowly fade over the next few weeks.
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