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Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Comet PanSTARRS, Moon, and Venus
NASA ^ | July 23, 2015 | (see photo credit)

Posted on 07/23/2015 3:41:01 AM PDT by SunkenCiv

Explanation: It is the object to the left of the big tree that's generating much recent excitement. If you look closely, there you can see Comet PanSTARRS, complete with two tails. During July, this comet has increased markedly in brightness and has just passed its closest approach to Earth. The statuesque tree in the center is a Norfolk Island Pine, and to either side of this tree are New Zealand Pohutukaw trees. Over the trees, far in the distance, are bright Venus and an even brighter crescent Moon. If you look even more closely, you can find Jupiter hidden in the branches of the pine. The featured image was taken a few days ago in Fergusson Park, New Zealand, looking over Tauranga Harbour Inlet. In the coming days and weeks, Comet C/2014 Q1 (PANSTARRS) will slowly move away from the Sun and the Earth, drift deep into southern skies, and fade.

July 23, 2015

(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; astronomy; comet2014q1; panstarrs; science
[Credit and Copyright: Amit Kamble (Auckland Astronomical Society); Rollover Annotation: Judy Schmidt]

1 posted on 07/23/2015 3:41:01 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
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To: lbryce; brytlea; cripplecreek; decimon; bigheadfred; KoRn; Grammy; steelyourfaith; Mmogamer; ...
The Big One

2 posted on 07/23/2015 3:42:31 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
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To: SunkenCiv

That is a cool pic


3 posted on 07/23/2015 3:47:38 AM PDT by GeronL
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To: GeronL
Christmas in July .... VERY cool photo !!

Charlie brown's tree got planted and was allowed to grow into a magnificent pine

4 posted on 07/23/2015 3:52:17 AM PDT by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true)
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To: SunkenCiv

I’m sure Norfolk pines are very pretty up north, but they’re absolute pain in the tail here in Florida.

Beautiful picture.


5 posted on 07/23/2015 4:00:31 AM PDT by rarestia (It's time to water the Tree of Liberty.)
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