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 September 23
     [2]A picture shows a starfield with three prominent objects. A blue
   spiral galaxy is on the lower left and another blue spiral is just left
   of center. Toward the upper right is a light-colored comet with a tail
   fading toward in the image bottom. Please see the explanation for more
                            detailed information.

                     Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Approaches
           Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Brian Valente & Greg Stein

   Explanation: What will happen as this already bright comet approaches?
   Optimistic predictions have [4]Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS)
   briefly becoming easily visible to the unaided eye -- although the
   future brightness of [5]comets are notoriously [6]hard to predict, and
   this comet may even [7]break up in warming sunlight. What is certain is
   that the comet is now unexpectedly bright and is [8]on track to pass
   its closest to the Sun (0.39 [9]AU) later this week and closest to the
   [10]Earth (0.47 AU) early next month. The [11]featured image was taken
   in late May as [12]Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS, discovered only last year,
   passed nearly in front of two [13]distant galaxies. The [14]comet can
   now be found with binoculars in the early morning sky rising just
   before the [15]Sun, while over the next few weeks it [16]will brighten
   as it moves to the early evening sky.

   Your Sky Surprise: [17]What picture did APOD feature on your birthday?
                                 (post 1995)
                      Tomorrow's picture: dusty baboon
     __________________________________________________________________

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     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [29]Robert Nemiroff ([30]MTU) & [31]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([32]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [33]Specific rights apply.
            [34]NASA Web Privacy, [35]Accessibility, [36]Notices;
                A service of: [37]ASD at [38]NASA / [39]GSFC,
                         [40]NASA Science Activation
                           & [41]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2409/Comet23A3_Valente_5672.jpg
   3. https://www.astrobin.com/users/bvalente/
   4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2023_A3_(Tsuchinshan–ATLAS)
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap131117.html
   6. https://emusements.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/cat-doh.jpg
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230903.html
   8. https://theskylive.com/3dsolarsystem?obj=c2023a3
   9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomical_unit
  10. https://science.nasa.gov/earth/facts/
  11. https://www.astrobin.com/jt8z8x/B/
  12. https://www.seti.org/will-comet-c2023-a3-tsuchinshan-atlas-be-comet-decade
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210802.html
  14. https://earthsky.org/space/comet-c-2023-a3-sep-oct-2024-tsuchinshan-atlas/
  15. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/
  16. http://www.aerith.net/comet/catalog/2023A3/2023A3.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240922.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  22. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  24. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  27. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=240923
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240924.html
  29. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  30. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  31. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  32. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  36. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  37. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  40. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  41. http://www.mtu.edu/