The dying comet

Last month at comet SWAN (C/2020 F8) had a close encounter with the Sun, and it went very well for the space wanderer. Since may 27, the comet passed above the orbit of mercury, its brightness plummeted, it is an indication that heat may have destroyed its core. However, it still has a tail!

This is the green gas plume was made by Andrea Aletti from Varese in Italy shortly before sunrise on 5 June. Despite the bright moonlight and clouds, the comet was visible at 6 degrees above the horizon.

In early may, the attention of astronomers was focused on the comet SWAN — she just went through the flash visible to the naked eye, and, it seemed, here-here will turn into a bright comet, which by the beginning of June will be able to watch everybody.

Alas, this did not happen.

Now the comet is interesting for another reason — it dies. Amateur astronomers may be witnessing the end but to observe is not so easy. The comet rises in the northeast shortly before sunrise. Its brightness is almost 20 times weaker than to the unaided eye (+9.5 mm).

Translated by «Yandex.Translator»