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A knotty tail

Chris Schur from Payson, Arizona

Comet 13P/Olbers reached perihelion (its closest approach to the Sun) on June 30, flaunting a faint but intricate ion tail that appears to corkscrew off of the nucleus. This image was taken with 30 minutes of data on a 8-inch f/2 RASA scope.

Astronomy magazine July 2024 cover

July 2024