False-color image from SOHO's SWAN instrument showing the shadow of Comet Hale-Bopp cast against the sun's ultraviolet light scattered by interstellar hydrogen. The dark streak represents a 150 million kilometer-long shadow created by the dense hydrogen envelope around the comet's nucleus, indicating a water production rate of approximately 300 tons per second. The bright spot is ultraviolet sunlight scattered by the hydrogen cloud surrounding Hale-Bopp.

Astronomy Picture from 02/07/1999

Shadow Of A Comet

Source: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap990702.html


#HaleBopp #CometShadow #SOHO #SWAN #InterstellarHydrogen #SpaceScience #Astronomy #1997Comet #SolarUV #CometaryScience

A stunning grayscale image of Comet McNaught captured by the STEREO A spacecraft. The comet's bright coma dominates the lower portion, while its extensive dust tail stretches across a vast expanse (30 million km). A fainter, neutral iron tail, a rare discovery, is also visible. Bright Venus appears near the top left, causing a slight image artifact.

Astronomy Picture from 04/05/2007

The Iron Tail of Comet McNaught

Source: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070504.html


#CometMcNaught #SpacecraftView #STEREOA #CometTail #IronTail #NeutralIron #Venus #Astronomy #Cosmology #SolarWind #DustTail #CometaryScience #DeepSpace

Digitally sharpened image of Comet Tempel 1, showcasing its cratered surface and other features. This unprecedented image, captured by the Stardust-NeXT spacecraft, allows scientists to study changes in the comet's nucleus since the 2005 Deep Impact mission. The image reveals details such as craters, ridges, and smoother areas, providing valuable insights into comet composition and evolution.

Astronomy Picture from 16/02/2011

Comet Tempel 1 from Stardust-NeXT Spacecraft

Source: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110216.html


#CometTempel1 #StardustNeXT #DeepImpact #SpaceExploration #PlanetaryScience #CometaryScience #NASA #SolarSystem #Astronomy #Space