{"id":480494,"date":"2026-05-12T07:35:14","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T07:35:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/480494\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T07:35:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T07:35:14","slug":"apod-2026-may-12-the-conjunction-of-comet-r3-panstarrs-and-the-orion-nebula","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/480494\/","title":{"rendered":"APOD: 2026 May 12 \u2013 The Conjunction of Comet R3 PanSTARRS and the Orion Nebula"},"content":{"rendered":"

APOD: 2026 May 12 \u2013 The Conjunction of Comet R3 PanSTARRS and the Orion Nebula<\/p>\n

Discover the cosmos!<\/a>
\nEach day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.\n<\/p>\n

2026 May 12
\n

\n\"The<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

The Conjunction of Comet R3 PanSTARRS and the Orion Nebula <\/b>
Image Credit & Copyright: <\/b>
\nJulien De Winter<\/a>,
\nSascha Ebeler<\/a>
\n
Text:<\/b>
\nKeighley Rockcliffe<\/a>
\n(NASA<\/a>
\nGSFC<\/a>,
\nUMBC CSST<\/a>,
\nCRESST II<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Explanation: <\/b> <\/p>\n

Today\u2019s composite image<\/a>
\nfeatures
\nsomething old<\/a>,
\nsomething new, something borrowed, and something blue!
\nComet R3 PanSTARRS<\/a>,
\nstreaking across the right of the image, likely originated from
\nthe Oort Cloud<\/a>,
\nmeaning it is an old Solar System relic from billions of years ago. It\u2019s bright extended
\nion tail<\/a>
\nglows blue as the gas escaping the comet\u2019s core is ionized by sunlight. Astronomers are fascinated by
\ncomets<\/a>
\nfor all sorts of reasons: comet compositions are untouched time capsules containing the building blocks of Solar System planets; comets may have
\ndelivered water<\/a>
\nto the young Earth; the behavior of cometary tails shed light on solar wind and radiation interactions. The background mosaic, featuring
\nthe Orion Nebula<\/a>
\n(M42<\/a>),
\nwas taken over two nights of observation with the comet captured on the third night.
\nThe Orion Nebula<\/a>
\nis our nearest stellar nursery and, at
\nabout 2 million years old<\/a>,
\nis our something (relatively) new! Now at around
\n127.5 million kilometers from Earth<\/a>,
\nwe wave goodbye to the borrowed Comet R3 PanSTARRS as it leaves the Solar System.<\/p>\n

Growing Gallery: <\/b>
\nComet R3 in 2026<\/a>
Tomorrow’s picture: <\/b>a cluster of stars<\/a><\/p>\n

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\n Authors & editors: <\/b>
\nRobert Nemiroff<\/a>
\n(MTU<\/a>) &
\nJerry Bonnell<\/a> (UMCP<\/a>)
NASA Official: <\/b> Amber Straughn
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&<\/b> Michigan Tech. U.<\/a><\/p>\n