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                           Astronomy Picture of the Day   
      
       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.   
      
                                 2021 December 25   
      
                           The Tail of a Christmas Comet   
        Image Credit & Copyright: Rolando Ligustri (CARA Project, CAST) and   
                                   Lukas Demetz   
      
      Explanation: The tail of a comet streams across this three degree wide   
      telescopic field of view captured under dark Namibian skies on December   
      21. In outburst only a few days ago and just reaching naked eye   
      visibility Comet Leonard (C/2021 A1) is this year's brightest comet.   
      Binoculars will make the diffuse comet easier to spot though, close to   
      the western horizon after sunset. Details revealed in the sharp image   
      show the comet's coma with a greenish tinge, and follow the interaction   
      of the comet's ion tail with magnetic fields in the solar wind. After   
      passing closest to Earth on December 12 and Venus on December 18, Comet   
      Leonard is heading toward perihelion, its closest approach to the Sun   
      on January 3rd. Appearing in late December's beautiful evening skies   
      after sunset, Comet Leonard has also become known as 2021's Christmas   
      Comet.   
      
                     Launch Update: James Webb Space Telescope   
                          Tomorrow's picture: the icy sky   
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          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
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                                & Michigan Tech. U.   
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