Astrophotographer Michael Horn [ http://www.ozemail.…] captured this gorgeous view [ http://www.ozemail.…] of comet SOHO [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] in the dark night sky above Wandibindle, Queensland, Australia on May 23rd. On this date, comet SOHO [ http://encke.jpl.na…] was moving [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] against the background of the nebula-rich constellation of Orion [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. South is up in the picture which shows SOHO's bright head or coma [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] and long tail extending past the glowing gas clouds and dark dust lanes of the Flame [ http://www.astrocru…] and Horsehead [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] nebulae. Alnitak [ http://www.astro.wi…], the bright star above and to the right of the cometary coma, is also known as Zeta Orionis, the eastern-most of the three stars in Orion's belt [ http://www.adler.uc…]. Southern Hemisphere observers report that comet SOHO [ http://encke.jpl.na…] has recently undergone a dramatic increase in brightness.
Explanation
Astrophotographer Michael Horn [ http://www.ozemail.…] captured this gorgeous view [ http://www.ozemail.…] of comet SOHO [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] in the dark night sky above Wandibindle, Queensland, Australia on May 23rd. On this date, comet SOHO [ http://encke.jpl.na…] was moving [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] against the background of the nebula-rich constellation of Orion [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. South is up in the picture which shows SOHO's bright head or coma [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] and long tail extending past the glowing gas clouds and dark dust lanes of the Flame [ http://www.astrocru…] and Horsehead [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] nebulae. Alnitak [ http://www.astro.wi…], the bright star above and to the right of the cometary coma, is also known as Zeta Orionis, the eastern-most of the three stars in Orion's belt [ http://www.adler.uc…]. Southern Hemisphere observers report that comet SOHO [ http://encke.jpl.na…] has recently undergone a dramatic increase in brightness.
