Comet C/2013 US10 Catalina speeding by Earth on August 28, 2015 (IMAGE)
Caption
The NEOWISE space telescope spotted Comet C/2013 US10 Catalina speeding by Earth on August 28, 2015. This comet swung in from the Oort Cloud, the shell of cold, frozen material that surrounds the Sun in the most distant part of the solar system far beyond the orbit of Neptune. NEOWISE captured the comet as it fizzed with activity caused by the Sun's heat. On November 15, 2015, the comet made its closest approach to the Sun, dipping inside the Earth's orbit; it is possible that this is the first time this ancient comet has ever been this close to the Sun. NEOWISE observed the comet in two heat-sensitive infrared wavelengths, 3.4 and 4.6 microns, which are color-coded as cyan and red in this image. NEOWISE detected this comet a number of times in 2014 and 2015; five of the exposures are shown here in a combined image depicting the comet's motion across the sky. The copious quantities of gas and dust spewed by the comet appear red in this image because they are very cold, much colder than the background stars.
Credit
NASA
Usage Restrictions
None
License
Licensed content