Subj : Daily APOD Report
To   : All
From : Alan Ianson
Date : Sun Dec 12 2021 00:20:18

                        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.

                              2021 December 12

                    Comet Leonard Before Star Cluster M3
                   Image Credit & Copyright: Dan Bartlett

   Explanation: Comet Leonard is now visible to the unaided eye -- but
   just barely. Passing nearest to the Earth today, the comet is best seen
   this week soon after sunset, toward the west, low on the horizon.
   Currently best visible in the north, by late December the comet will
   best be seen from south of Earth's equator. The featured image of Comet
   C/2021 A1 (Leonard) was taken a week ago from California, USA. The deep
   exposure shows in great detail the comet's green gas coma and
   developing dust tail. The comet -- across our inner Solar System and
   only light-minutes away -- was captured passing nearly in front of
   globular star cluster M3. In contrast, M3 is about 35,000 light-years
   away. In a week, Comet Leonard will pass unusually close to Venus, but
   will continue on and be at its closest to the Sun in early January.

                     Tomorrow's picture: meteor mountain
     __________________________________________________________________

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