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 June 8

       [2]A starfield shows many red nebulas near the center. Running

    vertically up the left side are about 20 images of a comet, with the

   head towards the image bottom. Successively higher images of the comet

    show successively shorter tails. Please see the explanation for more

                            detailed information.



                       Comet R3 PanSTARRS Through Time

   Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Jakub Kuřák & [4]Martin Mašek ([5]FZU of

                       the Czech Academy of Sciences)



   Explanation: What happens to a comet as it leaves our inner Solar

   System? Now, the arrival of a comet

   into the inner [6]Solar System is typically heralded with great fanfare

   and [7]high hopes that the comet will become [8]bright and

   [9]photogenic. But on the way out, the [10]comet's nucleus is less

   warmed by [11]the Sun, less gas and dust are [12]expelled, the bright

   [13]coma around the nucleus shrinks and fades, and the [14]tail length

   drops off. Many comets will then return to the [15]outer Solar System

   and only return in hundreds or thousands of years. In contrast, some

   comets -- like Comet [16]C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) -- receive a

   [17]gravitational kick from the planets and so will never return.

   Pictured, [18]Comet R3 PanSTARRs was imaged deeply many nights in early

   to mid-May [19]near Cerro Paranal in [20]Chile. Later images appear

   closer to the top and clearly show the shrinking [21]ion tail.



              Comet R3 Gallery: [22]Comet R3 PanSTARRS in 2026

                     Tomorrow's picture: [23]heady Thor

     __________________________________________________________________



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    Authors & editors: [35]Robert Nemiroff ([36]MTU) & [37]Jerry Bonnell

                                 ([38]UMCP)

          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [39]Specific rights apply.

            [40]NASA Web Privacy, [41]Accessibility, [42]Notices;

                A service of: [43]ASD at [44]NASA / [45]GSFC,

                         [46]NASA Science Activation

                           & [47]Michigan Tech. U.



References



   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html

   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2606/R3Tails_Kurak_1973.jpg

   3. https://www.instagram.com/jakubkurak/

   4. https://www.fzu.cz/en/people/mgr-martin-masek

   5. https://www.fzu.cz/en/home

   6. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/solar-system-facts/

   7. https://i.pinimg.com/236x/bf/f5/d0/bff5d074d399bdfec6071e9168398406.jpg

   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220408.html

   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241006.html

  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251019.html

  11. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/

  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap151118.html

  13. http://www2.ess.ucla.edu/~jewitt/coma.html

  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241018.html

  15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oort_cloud

  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2025_R3_(PanSTARRS)

  17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_assist

  18. https://theskylive.com/c2025r3-info

  19. https://youtu.be/shbwtlPIDI4

  20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile

  21. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/comets/en/anatomy-of-a-comet.en.jpg

  22. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.946613941400517

  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260609.html

  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260607.html

  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html

  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html

  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html

  28. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search

  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html

  30. https://apod.com/feed.rss

  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html

  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html

  33. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260608

  34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260609.html

  35. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/department/faculty/nemiroff/

  36. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/

  37. https://inspirehep.net/authors/1073087

  38. http://www.astro.umd.edu/

  39. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply

  40. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html

  41. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/

  42. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/

  43. https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/astrophysics/

  44. https://www.nasa.gov/

  45. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/

  46. https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/

  47. http://www.mtu.edu/