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 May 15
    [2]A starfield appears featuring many bright stars, red nebula, and a
    comet. Snow covered mountains cover the foreground. The comet appears
      on the upper left with a tail the goes upward and right through a
   bright star. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                        R3 PanSTARRS: An Orion Comet
             Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Chester Hall-Fernandez

   Explanation: Comet R3 PanSTARRS might be best remembered as an Orion
   comet. A key reason is because Comet [4]C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) was near
   its most spectacular -- in terms of tail visibility -- when passing in
   front of the [5]iconic constellation. Although rare, other bright
   [6]comets, too, have ventured across Orion, including [7]Lovejoy in
   2015, [8]Hale-Bopp in 1997, and the [9]Great Comet of 1264. Best
   visible in long duration exposures, the [10]featured image was captured
   last week from the [11]Craigieburn Mountain Range in [12]New Zealand.
   Visible in the deep background image are the [13]Orion Nebula,
   [14]Barnard's Loop, and through R3's tail, the bright star [15]Saiph,
   the sixth brightest [16]star in the [17]constellation of Orion.
   [18]Comet R3 PanSTARRS continues to fade as it moves further south,
   passing into the constellation of the Unicorn ([19]Monoceros) in the
   next few days.

      Sky Surprise: [20]What picture did APOD feature on your birthday?
                                (after 1995)
                     Tomorrow's picture: aurora burrito
     __________________________________________________________________

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    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/2605/R3Orion_Hall_2870.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/astro_che/
   4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2025_R3_(PanSTARRS)
   5. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/stories/quick-reads/discovering-the-universe-through-the-constellation-orion/
   6. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/facts/
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150128.html
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap970825.html
   9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Comet_of_1264
  10. https://www.instagram.com/p/DYRnA1TT6Iy/
  11. https://youtu.be/i1ePpgYaRcA
  12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130320.html
  14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnard's_Loop
  15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saiph
  16. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/stars/
  17. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/constellations/en/
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260510.html
  19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoceros
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260514.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=260515
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260516.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/