Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2020 November 12 [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available. Comet ATLAS and Orion's Belt Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Charles Bracken Explanation: With its closest approach to planet Earth scheduled for November 14, this Comet ATLAS (C/2020 M3) was discovered just this summer, another comet found by the NASA funded [5]Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System. It won't get as bright [6]as Comet NEOWISE but it can still be spotted using binoculars, as it [7]currently sweeps through the familiar constellation of Orion. This telephoto field from November 8, blends exposures registered on the comet with exposures registered on Orion's stars. It creates an effectively deep skyview that shows colors and details you can't quite see though, even in binoculars. The comet's telltale greenish coma is toward the upper left, above Orion's three belt stars lined-up across the frame below center. You'll also probably spot the Orion Nebula, and famous Horsehead Nebula in the stunning field of view. [8]Of course one of Orion's belt stars is nearly 2,000 light-years away. On November 14, [9]this comet ATLAS will fly a mere 2.9 light-minutes from Earth. Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space __________________________________________________________________ [10]< | [11]Archive | [12]Submissions | [13]Index | [14]Search | [15]Calendar | [16]RSS | [17]Education | [18]About APOD | [19]Discuss | [20]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [21]Robert Nemiroff ([22]MTU) & [23]Jerry Bonnell ([24]UMCP) NASA Official: Phillip Newman [25]Specific rights apply. [26]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices A service of: [27]ASD at [28]NASA / [29]GSFC & [30]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2011/C2020M3Orion_CharlesBracken.jpg 3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 4. https://digitalstars.wordpress.com/ 5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_Terrestrial-impact_Last_Alert_System 6. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-blogs/explore-night-bob-king/comets-crawl-through-the-skies-at-dawn-and-dusk/ 7. https://earthsky.org/space/comet-c-2020-m3-atlas-closest-to-earth-nov-14-2020 8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200919.html 9. https://theskylive.com/how-far-is-c2020m3 10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201111.html 11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 14. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss 17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 19. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=201112 20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201113.html 21. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 22. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 23. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 24. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 26. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 27. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 28. https://www.nasa.gov/ 29. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 30. http://www.mtu.edu/