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. 2026 April 20 [2]A starry sky is seen above two tree-covered mountains that slope up on both sides of the image. In the central valley the head of a comet is seen, with a long tail flowing nearly vertically upward toward the top of the tall frame. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. Comet R3 PanSTARRS over a Himalayan Valley Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Basudeb Chakrabarti & [4]Samit Saha Explanation: The best way to see comet R3 PanSTARRS’s long tail is with a camera. This week, the [5]recently brightened comet appears in northern skies to the east just before dawn, but is only barely visible to the unaided eye. The many-degree [6]ion tail captured on [7]long duration camera exposures is not unusual for a comet - it is primarily due to the [8]Earth's nearly sideways view of the tail as it points away from the Sun. In the [9]featured image taken last week, Comet [10]C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) showed off its flowing tail through a valley between two peaks in the [11]Himalayan mountains of [12]India. The comet passed its closest to [13]the Sun yesterday. As it nears its closest approach to Earth next week, a [14]bushy [15]dust tail may become visible. [16]The comet is slowly moving out of northern skies and by the end of the month [17]will be visible after sunset in southern skies as it fades and [18]leaves our [19]Solar System. Growing Gallery: [20]Comet R3 PanSTARRS in 2026 Tomorrow's picture: different mountains __________________________________________________________________ [21]< | [22]Archive | [23]Submissions | [24]Index | [25]Search | [26]Calendar | [27]RSS | [28]Education | [29]About APOD | [30]Discuss | [31]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [32]Robert Nemiroff ([33]MTU) & [34]Jerry Bonnell ([35]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [36]Specific rights apply. [37]NASA Web Privacy, [38]Accessibility, [39]Notices; A service of: [40]ASD at [41]NASA / [42]GSFC, [43]NASA Science Activation & [44]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2604/ValleyComet_Chakrabarti_3900.jpg 3. https://www.instagram.com/basudebchakrabarti_photography/ 4. https://www.instagram.com/raj_samit 5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260412.html 6. https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/c/Cometary+Gas+Tail 7. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/funny-cat-tired-boring-lying-260nw-1447517609.jpg 8. https://science.nasa.gov/earth/facts/ 9. https://www.instagram.com/p/DXP2xpPkwxm/ 10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2025_R3_(PanSTARRS) 11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayas 12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India 13. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/ 14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220408.html 15. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/comets/en/anatomy-of-a-comet.en.jpg 16. https://theskylive.com/c2025r3-info 17. https://www.universetoday.com/articles/comet-r3-panstarrs-at-perihelion 18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2025_R3_(PanSTARRS)#Follow-up_observations 19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250914.html 20. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.946613941400517 21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260419.html 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 25. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 27. https://apod.com/feed.rss 28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 30. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260420 31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260421.html 32. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 34. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 35. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 36. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 37. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 38. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 39. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 40. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 41. https://www.nasa.gov/ 42. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 43. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 44. http://www.mtu.edu/