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.

                              2024 November 11
     [2]A starfield is shown that includes a bright comet. A bright tail
   points to the upper right but has an unusual dark streak in it. A thin
   anti-tail points toward the lower left. Please see the explanation for
                         more detailed information.

                The Unusual Tails of Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas
                   Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Bray Falls

   Explanation: What created an unusual dark streak in Comet
   Tsuchinshan-Atlas's tail? Some images of the [4]bright comet during
   mid-October not only caught its [5]impressively long tail and its
   [6]thin anti-tail, but a rather unexpected feature: a [7]dark [8]streak
   [9]in [10]the [11]long tail. The reason for the dark streak is
   currently unclear and a topic of some debate. Possible reasons include
   a [12]plume of dark [13]dust, different parts of the [14]bright tail
   being unusually superposed, and a [15]shadow of a dense part of the
   [16]coma on smaller dust particles. The streak is visible in the
   [17]featured image taken on October 14 from Texas, USA. To help future
   analyses, if you have taken a good image of the comet that clearly
   shows this dark streak, please [18]send it in to [19]APOD. Comet
   [20]Tsuchinshan–ATLAS has now [21]faded considerably and is returning
   to the outer [22]Solar System.

                Gallery: [23]Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS in 2024
                     Tomorrow's picture: cosmic crescent
     __________________________________________________________________

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     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [35]Robert Nemiroff ([36]MTU) & [37]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([38]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [39]Specific rights apply.
            [40]NASA Web Privacy, [41]Accessibility, [42]Notices;
                A service of: [43]ASD at [44]NASA / [45]GSFC,
                         [46]NASA Science Activation
                           & [47]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2411/CometDarkTail_Falls_5122.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/astrofalls/
   4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2023_A3_(Tsuchinshan–ATLAS)
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241007.html
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241021.html
   7. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=539576478770934
   8. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=535555052506410
   9. https://spaceweathergallery2.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=216720
  10. https://spaceweathergallery2.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=216512
  11. https://spaceweathergallery2.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=216118
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170416.html
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_dust
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220112.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240211.html
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coma_(comet)
  17. https://www.astrobin.com/znqqs1/
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  20. https://theskylive.com/how-bright-is-c2023a3
  21. https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JzqhuEDTRfCZKMKHUxPySB-1200-80.jpg
  22. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/solar-system-facts/
  23. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=APOD.Sky&set=a.516503464411569
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241110.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  28. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  30. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  33. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=241111
  34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241112.html
  35. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  36. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  37. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  38. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  39. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  43. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  44. https://www.nasa.gov/
  45. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  46. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  47. http://www.mtu.edu/