Subj : Daily APOD Report
To   : All
From : Alan Ianson
Date : Sat Mar 09 2024 00:17:30

                        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 March 9

                    Comet Pons-Brooks in Northern Spring
   Image Credit & Copyright: Petr Hor+ílek / Institute of Physics in Opava

   Explanation: As spring approaches for northern skygazers Comet
   12P/Pons-Brooks is growing brighter. Currently visible with small
   telescopes and binoculars the Halley-type comet could reach naked eye
   visibility in the coming weeks. Seen despite a foggy atmosphere, the
   comet's green coma and long tail hover near the horizon, in this
   well-composed deep night skyscape from Revuca, Slovakia recorded on
   March 5. In the sky above the Halley-type comet, the Andromeda (right)
   and Triangulum galaxies flank bright star Mirach, beta star of the
   constellation Andromeda. The two spiral galaxies are members of our
   local galaxy group and over 2.5 million light-years distant. Comet
   Pons-Brooks is a periodic visitor to the inner Solar System and less
   than 14 light-minutes away. Reaching its perihelion on April 21, this
   comet should be visible in the sky during the April 8 total solar
   eclipse.

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