APOD: 2026 August 24 – Comet 220P in Outburst
The post APOD: 2026 August 24 – Comet 220P in Outburst appeared first on NASA Science .
Comet 220P, a periodic comet with a 5-year orbit between Mars and Jupiter, has unexpectedly brightened significantly this year, making it visible with binoculars and long-duration camera exposures. In a recent long-duration exposure taken from South Africa, the comet's bright green head and short dust tail are clearly visible. The cause of this impressive outburst remains unknown, but it could be due to the release of built-up subsurface gas or comet quakes.
Comet 220P will make its closest approach to Earth within the next month, passing at a distance of roughly one Earth-Sun distance. After this close encounter, it is expected to rapidly fade as it resumes its journey back to the outer regions of its orbit.
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