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.

                              2025 November 17
   [2]A starfield is shown above a mountain peak. Just above the mountain
     and extending up toward the upper right is a blue-tinted tail of a
   comet. The comet's head is just to the left of the peak. Please see the
                 explanation for more detailed information.

                        Comet Lemmon's Wandering Tail
                     Image Credit: [3]Ignacio Fernández

   Explanation: What has happened to Comet Lemmon's tail? The answer is
   blowing in the wind — the [4]wind from the Sun in this case. This
   continuous outflow of [5]charged particles from the Sun has been
   [6]quite variable of late, as the Sun emits bursts of energy, [7]CMEs,
   that push out and deflect charged particles emitted by the comet
   itself. The result is a blue hued ion tail for [8]Comet C/2025 A6
   (Lemmon) that is not only [9]impressively intricate but takes some
   unusual turns. [10]This long-duration composite image taken from
   [11]Alfacar, [12]Spain last month captured this inner Solar System
   ionic tumult. Comet Lemmon is [13]now fading as it heads [14]out away
   from the [15]Earth and Sun and back into the outer [16]Solar System.

                     Tomorrow's picture: radio milky way
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [28]Robert Nemiroff ([29]MTU) & [30]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([31]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [32]Specific rights apply.
            [33]NASA Web Privacy, [34]Accessibility, [35]Notices;
                A service of: [36]ASD at [37]NASA / [38]GSFC,
                         [39]NASA Science Activation
                           & [40]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2511/LemmonTail_Fernandez_3728.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/igneis.nightscapes/
   4. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/what-is-the-solar-wind/
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240818.html
   6. https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/heliophysics/nasa-noaa-sun-reaches-maximum-phase-in-11-year-solar-cycle/
   7. https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/nmp/st5/SCIENCE/cme.html
   8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2025_A6_(Lemmon)
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220125.html
  10. https://www.instagram.com/p/DQm4GnvDBkg/
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfacar#/media/File:Alfacar_Las_Canteras.jpg
  12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain
  13. https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https://preview.redd.it/xnmijjs6ru671.jpg?width=1080&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=da3f96bfc20dfb063488b7ede90da396545b487a
  14. https://theskylive.com/c2025a6-info
  15. https://science.nasa.gov/earth/facts/
  16. https://eyes.nasa.gov/apps/solar-system/#/home
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251116.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  21. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  23. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  26. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=251117
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251118.html
  28. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  29. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  30. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  31. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  36. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  37. https://www.nasa.gov/
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  39. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  40. http://www.mtu.edu/