Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]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. 2024 November 11 [2]A starfield is shown that includes a bright comet. A bright tail points to the upper right but has an unusual dark streak in it. A thin anti-tail points toward the lower left. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. The Unusual Tails of Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Bray Falls Explanation: What created an unusual dark streak in Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas's tail? Some images of the [4]bright comet during mid-October not only caught its [5]impressively long tail and its [6]thin anti-tail, but a rather unexpected feature: a [7]dark [8]streak [9]in [10]the [11]long tail. The reason for the dark streak is currently unclear and a topic of some debate. Possible reasons include a [12]plume of dark [13]dust, different parts of the [14]bright tail being unusually superposed, and a [15]shadow of a dense part of the [16]coma on smaller dust particles. The streak is visible in the [17]featured image taken on October 14 from Texas, USA. To help future analyses, if you have taken a good image of the comet that clearly shows this dark streak, please [18]send it in to [19]APOD. Comet [20]Tsuchinshan–ATLAS has now [21]faded considerably and is returning to the outer [22]Solar System. Gallery: [23]Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS in 2024 Tomorrow's picture: cosmic crescent __________________________________________________________________ [24]< | [25]Archive | [26]Submissions | [27]Index | [28]Search | [29]Calendar | [30]RSS | [31]Education | [32]About APOD | [33]Discuss | [34]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [35]Robert Nemiroff ([36]MTU) & [37]Jerry Bonnell ([38]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [39]Specific rights apply. [40]NASA Web Privacy, [41]Accessibility, [42]Notices; A service of: [43]ASD at [44]NASA / [45]GSFC, [46]NASA Science Activation & [47]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2411/CometDarkTail_Falls_5122.jpg 3. https://www.instagram.com/astrofalls/ 4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2023_A3_(Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) 5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241007.html 6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241021.html 7. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=539576478770934 8. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=535555052506410 9. https://spaceweathergallery2.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=216720 10. https://spaceweathergallery2.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=216512 11. https://spaceweathergallery2.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=216118 12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170416.html 13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_dust 14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220112.html 15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240211.html 16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coma_(comet) 17. https://www.astrobin.com/znqqs1/ 18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 20. https://theskylive.com/how-bright-is-c2023a3 21. https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JzqhuEDTRfCZKMKHUxPySB-1200-80.jpg 22. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/solar-system-facts/ 23. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=APOD.Sky&set=a.516503464411569 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241110.html 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 28. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 30. https://apod.com/feed.rss 31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 33. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=241111 34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241112.html 35. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 36. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 37. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 38. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 39. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 40. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 41. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 42. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 43. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 44. https://www.nasa.gov/ 45. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 46. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 47. http://www.mtu.edu/