北半球春天的庞士-布鲁克斯彗星

2024年3月9日

Comet Pons-Brooks in Northern Spring
Image Credit & Copyright: Petr Horálek / Institute of Physics in Opava

Explanation: As spring approaches for northern skygazers, Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is growing brighter. Currently visible with small telescopes and binoculars, the Halley-type comet could reach naked eye visibility in the coming weeks. Seen despite a foggy atmosphere, the comet’s green coma and long tail hover near the horizon in this well-composed deep night skyscape from Revuca, Slovakia recorded on March 5. In the sky above the comet, the Andromeda (right) and Triangulum galaxies flank bright star Mirach, beta star of the constellation Andromeda. The two spiral galaxies are members of our local galaxy group and over 2.5 million light-years distant. Comet Pons-Brooks is a periodic visitor to the inner Solar System and less than 14 light-minutes away. Reaching its perihelion on April 21, this comet should be visible in the sky during the April 8 total solar eclipse.

Tomorrow’s picture: at the End of the World

北半球春天的庞士-布鲁克斯彗星
影像提供与版权: Petr Horálek / Institute of Physics in Opava

说明: 随着春天的脚步近了，北半球观星者所见到的庞士-布鲁克斯彗星（12P/Pons-Brooks）之亮度也不断在增加。目前小望远镜和双筒望远镜可见的这颗哈雷型彗星，于未来数周内，亮度将增加到肉眼可见的程度。在这片3月5日摄于斯洛伐克雷武察镇的取景佳妙深空夜景里，尽管有薄雾阻挠，仍可清楚看到这颗彗星位于地平线附近的泛绿彗发与颀长的彗尾。在这颗哈雷型彗星的上方，仙女座星系（右）和三角座星系拱卫在仙女座的第二亮星奎宿九（Mirach）之二侧。 这两个螺旋星系都是我们本星系群的成员，与我们的距离超过250万光年。而定期造访内太阳系的庞士-布鲁克斯彗星，其距离则不到14光分。这颗彗星将在4月21日运行到近日点，而于4月8日的日全食期间，应能在天空中见到它的身影。

明日的图片: at the End of the World