The first color photo of an interstellar comet reveals its fuzzy tail



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The first color image of comet C / 2019 Q4 (Borisov), which astronomers consider to be the first interstellar comet known to date, was captured by the Gemini North telescope at Mauna Kea in Hawaii. Gemini North acquired four 60-second shows in two color bands (red and green). The blue and red lines are stars in the background that move in the background.

(Image credit: Gemini Observatory / NSF / AURA / Rector Travis)

Astronomers have taken the first color photo of a potentially interstellar comet, and this one is spectacular.

The colored image allowed astronomers to spot a comet tailwhich is the product of gases flowing from its surface. This tail is unique among the alleged interstellar visitors of our solar system. Of course, so far there have been only two guests of this type – this comet, named Comet C / 2019 Q4 (Borisov), and & # 39; Oumuamua, which is a long asteroid or spatial rock with no apparent gas flowing from its surface.

Astronomers discovered the sight at night from 9 to 10 September using the Gemini multi-object spectrograph on the Gemini North telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawaii.

Related, connected, related: This comet could be interstellar space!

"This image was made possible thanks to Gemini's ability to quickly adjust observations and observe such objects, which have a very short visibility window," Andrew Stephens, who coordinated the observations at the Gemini Observatory. , said in a statement. "However, we really had to fight for this one because we got the last details at 3 o'clock in the morning. [local time] and the observions at 4:45! "

The comet was discovered by Russian amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov on August 30th. At the present time, its path in the earth's sky brings it closer to the sun, which makes it difficult to observe because it is better visible at dusk. Over the next few months, the comet should move further away from the sun, which will facilitate its vision.

For these new Gemini observations, the astronomy team got them through an opportunity target program led by Piotr Guzik and Michal Drahus at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. A research paper, led by Guzik, was loaded on the Arxiv pre-print server Thursday (12 September) and has been submitted to a newspaper for publication. (Articles on arXiv are not yet peer reviewed.)

Astronomers do not know if this comet comes from outside our solar system because its way through the space is not well defined. Until now, however, the data suggests that its trajectory is a hyperbole – which means that it dives into the solar system before starting over again. Most comets and asteroids tracked in the solar system have elliptical orbits, which range from almost circular orbit to orbit through the long.

Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

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