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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.   
      
                                  2023 January 9   
      
                                Tails of Comet ZTF   
                 Image Credit & Copyright: Jose Francisco Hernßndez   
      
      Explanation: Comet ZTF may become visible to the unaided eye.   
      Discovered early last year, this massive snowball has been brightening   
      as it approaches the Sun and the Earth. C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will be closest   
      to the Sun later this week, at which time it may become visible even   
      without binoculars to northern observers with a clear and dark sky. As   
      they near the Sun, comet brightnesses are notoriously hard to predict,   
      though. In the featured image taken last week in front of a picturesque   
      star field, three blue ion tails extend to the upper right, likely the   
      result of a variable solar wind on ions ejected by the icy comet   
      nucleus. The comet's white dust tail is visible to the upper left and   
      much shorter. The green glow is the comet's coma, caused by glowing   
      carbon gas. Comet ZTF is expected to pass nearest the Earth in early   
      February, after which it should dim dramatically.   
      
      Discovery + Outreach: Graduate student research position open for APOD   
                       Tomorrow's picture: interstellar cone   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
               NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.   
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                         A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,   
                              NASA Science Activation   
                                & Michigan Tech. U.   
      
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