三行星与一颗彗星

2021年12月23日

Three Planets and a Comet
Image Credit & Copyright: Tunc Tezel (TWAN)

Explanation: Are you still looking for that perfect holiday gift for an astronomer? If your night sky is dark and horizon clear enough, the Solar System may have done your shopping for you. Send them outside after sunset to see three planets and a comet. In this snapshot of the December solstice evening sky from the village of Kirazli, Turkey the brightest celestial beacon is Venus, close to the southwestern horizon at the right. Look left and up to find Saturn shining between clouds. Follow that line farther left and up to bright Jupiter, the Solar System’s ruling gas giant. This year’s surprise visitor to the inner Solar System, Comet Leonard (C/2021 A1), is near the horizon too. The comet is fainter but forms a nearly equilateral triangle with planets Venus and Saturn in this view. After a dramatic brightening in recent days the comet is just visible to the unaided eye, though a nice pair of binoculars is always a good idea.

Tomorrow’s picture: pixels in space

三行星与一颗彗星
影像提供与版权: Tunc Tezel (TWAN)

说明: 你还在找送给天文学家的完美圣诞礼物吗？如果你所在的夜空够黝暗而且地平线没障碍物，太阳系或许已为你备好大礼。请他们在日落后走出户外，去观赏三颗行星和一颗彗星的聚会。在这张冬至那晚摄于土耳其Kirazli村的夜空影像里，天空最明亮的天体是低悬在西南地平线附近的金星。将视线往它的左上方移，就能找到云缝里的土星。持续把视线往左上方移动，就可见到太阳系最庞大而且很明亮的气态巨行星─木星。今年太阳系内围的意外访客李奥纳德彗星（C/2021 A1），也在地平线附近。在这片视野里，这颗彗星较暗但和金星及土星几乎构成一个等边三角形。在最近这段日子经过大幅增亮之后，这颗彗星肉眼勉强可见，但借助一付好品质的双筒望远镜观赏，仍是不错的主意。

明天的图片: pixels in space