Comet SOHO and Nebulae in Orion
Credit and Copyright:
M. Horn
Astrophotographer Michael Horn
captured this
gorgeous view of
comet SOHO in the dark night sky above
Wandibindle, Queensland, Australia on May 23rd.
On this date,
comet SOHO
was moving against the background of
the nebula-rich constellation of Orion.
South is up in the
picture which shows SOHO's bright head or
coma and long
tail extending past
the glowing gas clouds and dark dust lanes of
the Flame and
Horsehead nebulae.
Alnitak, the bright star above and to the right of the
cometary coma, is also known as Zeta Orionis,
the eastern-most of the three stars in
Orion's belt.
Southern Hemisphere
observers report that comet SOHO has recently
undergone a dramatic increase in brightness.