Posted on 12/28/2011 2:28:24 PM PST by SunkenCiv
Explanation: Comet Lovejoy (C/2011 W3) survived its close encounter with the Sun earlier this month, taking its place among wonders of the southern skies just in time for Christmas. Seen here before sunrise from Paranal Observatory in Chile, the sungrazing comet's tails stretch far above the eastern horizon. Spanning over 20 degrees they rise alongside the plane of the our Milky Way galaxy. A breathtaking spectacle in itself, Lovejoy performs on this celestial stage with southern stars and nebulae, including the Large and Small Magellanic clouds right of the telescope dome, and the glow of zodiacal light along the left edge of the frame. With Paranal's Very Large Telescope units in the foreground, this wide-angle scene was captured on December 23. Receding from the Sun, Comet Lovejoy's tails have continued to grow in length even as the comet fades.
(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...
[Credit & Copyright: Guillaume Blanchard]
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The southern hemisphere is getting all the good comet viewings.
Nice! Thanks for posting!
Not often that you see something that survived a trip that close in to the Sun. SL9 couldn’t handle a trip too close to Jupiter without breaking up.
Ain't right either.
There was a nice lunar eclipse the other night though. And I had the entire crew out looking at it when the boss rolled in at about 5:45 a.m. He tried. I didn't let him.
I like it. What’s the program?
Photoshop CS3.
Thank you.
Not only that, they get to spend Christmas Day at the beach.
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