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Credit & Copyright: Luc Perrot
(TWAN)
Explanation:
Orion never had a sword like this.
As Comet
C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) heads out of the inner Solar System,
it is putting on quite a
show for long exposure cameras.
Currently
seen toward the
constellation of
Orion the Hunter, the distant
Orion Nebula
is visible on the upper right.
Comet R3 PanSTARRS
is now showing
two distinct tails: a short
dust tail pointing toward the top of the image
and a long and
wavy ion tail
trailing off toward the upper left.
The ion tail points away from the
Sun and
glows blue from excited
carbon monoxide.
Large particles in the dust tail somewhat
resist the radiation pressure that push them away from the Sun and so retain a bit of the comet's orbit.
The dust tail shines by
reflected sunlight.
The featured image was taken a few days ago from
France's
Reunion Island
in the southern
Indian Ocean.
Growing Gallery:
Comet R3 PanSTARRS in 2026
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Orion Nebula
Publications with words: Orion Nebula
See also:
- Orion and the Running Man
- APOD: 2025 August 13 Á Trapezium: In the Heart of Orion
- APOD: 2025 April 20 Á The Orion Nebula in Visible and Infrared
- APOD: 2024 November 4 Á M42: The Great Nebula in Orion
- APOD: 2024 September 10 Á Horsehead and Orion Nebulas
- Trapezium: At the Heart of Orion
- APOD: 2023 October 10 Á Hidden Orion from Webb