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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 February 3   
      
                        Polaris and the Trail of Comet ZTF   
                   Image Credit & Copyright: David Ibarra Gomez   
      
      Explanation: Stars trace concentric arcs around the North Celestial   
      Pole in this three hour long night sky composite, recorded with a   
      digital camera fixed to a tripod on January 31, near `ger, Lleida,   
      Spain. On that date Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) was near its northernmost   
      declination in planet Earth's sky. That put the comet about 10 degrees   
      from Earth's North Celestial Pole making the comet's position   
      circumpolar, always above the horizon, from all locations on planet   
      Earth at more than 10 degrees northern latitude. In the startrail   
      image, the extension of Earth's axis of rotation into space is at the   
      left. North star Polaris traces the short, bright, concentric arc less   
      than a degree from the North Celestial Pole. The trail of Comet ZTF is   
      indicated at the right, its apparent motion mostly reflecting Earth's   
      rotation like the stars. But heading for its closest approach to planet   
      Earth on February 1, the comet is also moving significantly with   
      respect to the background stars. The diffuse greenish trail of Comet   
      ZTF is an almost concentric arc mingled with startrails as it sweeps   
      through the long-necked constellation Camelopardalis.   
      
                         Tomorrow's picture: light-weekend   
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          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
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