On Saturday February 11, the Orion astronomy association of Velay was in place at the Betz observatory, in the town of Saint-Julien-Chapteuil. The sky, of good quality and without Moon until 2 o’clock, made it possible to take this photo on which we can distinguish, in this starry sky, the constellation of Taurus, southwest, the planet Mars, the brightest and below the comet and its vertical tail.
This comet passed closest to the Sun on January 12, at a distance of 166 million km, then, closest to the Earth on February 1, at a distance of 42 million km. Currently it is moving away from us at a speed of 180,000 km/h. Its nucleus measuring only 1.6 km, and its luminosity weakening day by day, it will take a telescope to still see it in the days to come.
Scientists had calculated its very elliptical orbit with an estimated return of 50,000 years, but given its high speed, they estimate to this day that following passing Neptune’s orbit, it will leave the solar system and not return. more. But more are to come…