.. annotated version of previous posted image

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260515.html

#space #comets #astrophotography #photography #science #astronomy #nature #NASA #education #apod

2026 May 15

R3 PanSTARRS: An Orion Comet
* Image Credit & Copyright: Chester Hall-Fernandez
https://www.instagram.com/astro_che/

Explanation:
Comet R3 PanSTARRS might be best remembered as an Orion comet. A key reason is because Comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) was near its most spectacular -- in terms of tail visibility -- when passing in front of the iconic constellation. Although rare, other bright comets, too, have ventured across Orion, including Lovejoy in 2015, Hale-Bopp in 1997, and the Great Comet of 1264. Best visible in long duration exposures, the featured image was captured last week from the Craigieburn Mountain Range in New Zealand. Visible in the deep background image are the Orion Nebula, Barnard's Loop, and through R3's tail, the bright star Saiph, the sixth brightest star in the constellation of Orion. Comet R3 PanSTARRS continues to fade as it moves further south, passing into the constellation of the Unicorn (Monoceros) in the next few days.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2025_R3_(PanSTARRS)
https://science.nasa.gov/universe/stories/quick-reads/discovering-the-universe-through-the-constellation-orion/
https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/facts/
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150128.html
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap970825.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Comet_of_1264
https://www.instagram.com/p/DYRnA1TT6Iy/
https://youtu.be/i1ePpgYaRcA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130320.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnard%27s_Loop
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saiph
https://science.nasa.gov/universe/stars/
https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/constellations/en/
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260510.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoceros

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260515.html

#space #comets #astrophotography #photography #science #astronomy #nature #NASA #education #apod

2026 May 12

The Conjunction of Comet R3 PanSTARRS and the Orion Nebula
* Image Credit & Copyright: Julien De Winter, Sascha Ebeler
https://www.instagram.com/dwj85
https://www.instagram.com/sascha.ebeler
* Text: Keighley Rockcliffe (NASA GSFC, UMBC CSST, CRESST II)
https://kerockcliffe.com/
https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/sci/bio/keighley.e.rockcliffe
https://csst.umbc.edu/directory/
https://cresst2.umd.edu/

Explanation:
Today’s composite image features something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue! Comet R3 PanSTARRS, streaking across the right of the image, likely originated from the Oort Cloud, meaning it is an old Solar System relic from billions of years ago. It’s bright extended ion tail glows blue as the gas escaping the comet’s core is ionized by sunlight. Astronomers are fascinated by comets for all sorts of reasons: comet compositions are untouched time capsules containing the building blocks of Solar System planets; comets may have delivered water to the young Earth; the behavior of cometary tails shed light on solar wind and radiation interactions. The background mosaic, featuring the Orion Nebula (M42), was taken over two nights of observation with the comet captured on the third night. The Orion Nebula is our nearest stellar nursery and, at about 2 million years old, is our something (relatively) new! Now at around 127.5 million kilometers from Earth, we wave goodbye to the borrowed Comet R3 PanSTARRS as it leaves the Solar System.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DYL5zg5Ak78/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Something_old
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260412.html
https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/oort-cloud/facts/
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260414.html
https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/facts/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/comet-provides-new-clues-to-origins-of-earths-oceans/
https://www.mos.org/article/getting-know-orion-great-nebula
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/science/explore-the-night-sky/hubble-messier-catalog/messier-42/
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241104.html
https://www.space.com/orion-nebula
https://theskylive.com/c2025r3-info

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260512.html

#space #comets #astrophotography #photography #science #astronomy #nature #NASA #education #apod

.. annotated version of previous post

#space #comets #astrophotography #photography #science #astronomy
#nature #NASA #education #apod

2026 May 10

Comet R3 PanSTARRS and Orion
* Image Credit & Copyright: Luc Perrot (TWAN)
https://www.lucperrot.fr/bio

Explanation:
Orion never had a sword like this. As Comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) heads out of the inner Solar System, it is putting on quite a show for long exposure cameras. Currently seen toward the constellation of Orion the Hunter, the distant Orion Nebula is visible on the upper right. Comet R3 PanSTARRS is now showing two distinct tails: a short dust tail pointing toward the top of the image and a long and wavy ion tail trailing off toward the upper left. The ion tail points away from the Sun and glows blue from excited carbon monoxide. Large particles in the dust tail somewhat resist the radiation pressure that push them away from the Sun and so retain a bit of the comet's orbit. The dust tail shines by reflected sunlight. The featured image was taken a few days ago from France's Reunion Island in the southern Indian Ocean.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2025_R3_(PanSTARRS)
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260420.html
https://starwalk.space/en/news/comet-c2025-r3-panstarrs
https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/constellations/en/
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250420.html
https://theskylive.com/c2025r3-info
https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/comets/en/anatomy-of-a-comet.en.jpg
https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/*/Cometary+Dust+Tail
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220110.html
https://science.nasa.gov/sun/
http://www2.ess.ucla.edu/~jewitt/tail.html
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/global-maps/carbon-monoxide/
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS1DfzgrmAlBOsFVYpD2zBqj6FDI5z77THEpQ&s
https://van.physics.illinois.edu/ask/listing/31796
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap221227.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France
https://youtu.be/MUEVBSiWWR8
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Ocean

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260510.html

#space #comets #astrophotography #photography #science #astronomy #nature #NASA #education #apod