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Credit & Copyright: Dan Bartlett
Explanation:
Comet 10P/Tempel 2
orbits the Sun once every 5.4 years.
Currently visible in binoculars or small telescopes toward
the constellation Capricornus, the
periodic
comet is captured in this sharp telescopic
image from July 11
sporting a bright nuclear region and pretty greenish coma.
Remarkably, a thin dust trail,
not a typical dust tail, is also seen extending both east and west of
the Tempel 2 nucleus.
Unlike a
comet dust tail,
which tends to temporarily
fan out in a direction away from the Sun, this dust trail
is due to the residual dust
shed during
many past
orbits along this ancient periodic comet's orbital plane.
In fact, Tempel 2's dust trail may get a little narrower and brighter
from our perspective as Earth crosses through the comet's orbital plane
on July 20.
Comet 10P/Tempel 2
will reach a perihelion on August 2, and make
its closest approach to Earth on August 3.
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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: comet
Publications with words: comet
See also:
- APOD: 2026 May 12 Á The Conjunction of Comet R3 PanSTARRS and the Orion Nebula
- APOD: 2026 May 8 Á Comet R3 PanSTARRS Before Rigel
- APOD: 2026 April 20 Á Comet R3 PanSTARRS over a Himalayan Valley
- APOD: 2026 April 18 Á PanSTARRS and Planets
- APOD: 2026 April 14 Á The Long Wispy Tail of Comet R3 (PanSTARRS)
- APOD: 2026 April 12 Á Comet R3 PanSTARRS Brightens
- APOD: 2026 February 17 Á Tails of Comet Wierzchoå