Comet Leonard and the Whale Galaxy
Image Credit &
Copyright:
Gregg Ruppel
Sweeping through
northern predawn skies, on November 24
Comet Leonard (C/2021 A1)
was caught between
two galaxies in this
composite telescopic image.
Sporting a greenish coma the comet's dusty tail seems to harpoon the
heart
of NGC 4631 (top) also known as the Whale Galaxy.
Of course
NGC 4631 and NGC 4656
(bottom, aka the Hockey Stick)
are background galaxies some 25 million light-years away.
On that date the comet was about 6 light-minutes from our fair planet.
Its closest approach to Earth (and even closer approach
to Venus)
still to come,
Comet Leonard will
grow brighter in December.
Already a good object
for binoculars and small telescopes,
this comet will likely not return to the inner Solar System.
Its perihelion, or closest approach to the Sun, will be on January 3, 2022.