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APOD: 2026 May 12 Á The Conjunction of Comet R3 PanSTARRS and the Orion Nebula
Explanation:
TodayÁs composite image
features
something old,
something new, something borrowed, and something blue!
Comet R3 PanSTARRS,
streaking across the right of the image, likely originated from
the Oort Cloud,
meaning it is an old Solar System relic from billions of years ago. ItÁs bright extended
ion tail
glows blue as the gas escaping the cometÁs core is ionized by sunlight. Astronomers are fascinated by
comets
for all sorts of reasons: comet compositions are untouched time capsules containing the building blocks of Solar System planets; comets may have
delivered water
to the young Earth; the behavior of cometary tails shed light on solar wind and radiation interactions. The background mosaic, featuring
the Orion Nebula
(M42),
was taken over two nights of observation with the comet captured on the third night.
The Orion Nebula
is our nearest stellar nursery and, at
about 2 million years old,
is our something (relatively) new! Now at around
127.5 million kilometers from Earth,
we wave goodbye to the borrowed Comet R3 PanSTARRS as it leaves the Solar System.
| << Yesterday | 12.05.2026 |
Growing Gallery:
Comet R3 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: Saturn - Neptune
Publications with words: Saturn - Neptune
See also:
- APOD: 2026 May 6 Á The Retrograde Dance of Saturn and Neptune
- APOD: 2025 October 5 Á A Long Storm System on Saturn
- APOD: 2025 November 16 Á Crossing Saturns Ring Plane
- APOD: 2025 September 25 Á Saturn Opposite the Sun
- APOD: 2025 September 22 Á Equinox at Saturn
- APOD: 2025 February 23 Á Saturn in Infrared from Cassini
- APOD: 2024 December 8 Á Aurora around Saturns North Pole