C2021A1+M3_1a11_Animation - a photo on Flickriver

C2021A1+M3_1a11_Animation

FINAL IMAGE: flic.kr/p/2mQVv5w

Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard)
Messier 3 / M3 / NGC 5272

Comet Leonard appeared to pass between the Whale Galaxy (NGC4631) and the Crowbar Galaxy (NGC4656) in late November. It then passed within a few arcminutes of Messier 3 on December 3rd, creating this spectacular conjunction. These objects may seem close, but they are extremely far apart: the light from the comet took about 3.5 minutes to reach Earth, while the light from the cluster has been traveling through space for 34,000 years.

Comet Leonard was predicted to become the brightest comet of 2021 around mid-December. It just barely achieved naked-eye visibility for northern observers before it was lost in the morning twilight. The comet will reach perihelion on January 3, 2022, marking the end of its 40,000-year journey to the inner Solar System. It will then be ejected into interstellar space, never to return.

Apparent magnitude: 6.2 (estimate from Stellarium)
Distance from Earth: 0.438 AU
Orbital period: 8,000 years (before ejection)
Velocity (relative to Sun): 28 mile/s (45 km/s)

Total integration: 1 hour 18 minutes
156 x 30 seconds ISO1600
Note: each frame of this animation is a stack of 4 images

Camera: Canon T3i (stock / unmodified / unmodded DSLR)
Average camera temperature: 90 F (32 C)
Telescope: Explore Scientific ED80 f/6.0 Apochromatic Refractor (with ES field flattener)
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G
Guide scope: Svbony 50mm f/4.0 Guide Scope
Guide camera: Orion StarShoot AutoGuider
Software: N.I.N.A. with PlateSolve2 and PHD2
Bortle Class 6 ~19.34 mag/arcsec^2 (Summerville, SC)
Processed with PixInsight and Paint.NET
Video created with PIPP

Taken in: United States / South Carolina / Old Fort Estates (show map)

Taken on: December 3, 2021

Sets appears in: • Astrophotography

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