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APOD: 2025 October 6 – The Changing Ion Tail of Comet Lemmon

APOD: 2025 October 6 – The Changing Ion Tail of Comet Lemmon

30 de julho de 2026
há cerca de 1 hora
APOD: 2025 October 6 – The Changing Ion Tail of Comet Lemmon

APOD

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.

A comet with a green head at the bottom and a complex tail extending toward the top is shown, horizontally side by side, six times. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

The Changing Ion Tail of Comet Lemmon

Explanation: How does a comet tail change? It depends on the comet. The ion tail of Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) has been changing markedly, as detailed in the featured image sequenced over six days between September 25 and October 4 (left to right) from Texas , USA . On some days, the comet's ion tail was relatively more complex than other days. Reasons for tail changes include the rate of ejection of material from the comet's nucleus , the strength and complexity of the passing solar wind , and the rotation rate of the comet . Sometimes, over the course of a week, apparent differences even result from a change of perspective from the Earth. In general, a comet's ion tail will point away from the Sun , as gas expelled is pushed out by the Sun's wind . Comet Lemmon is still inbound and brightening , passing nearest the Earth on October 21 and nearest the Su n on November 8.

Date October 6, 2025
Credit Images Credit & Copyright: Victor Sabet & Julien De Winter
Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
NASA Science Activation & Michigan Tech. U.

NASA

Agência Espacial Americana

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