APOD: 2026 August 24 – Comet 220P in Outburst
APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 August 24 – Comet… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day 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. Comet 220P […]
Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day showcases Comet 220P in an unexpected outburst. Normally, periodic Comet 220P/McNaught is so faint that spotting it requires a telescope. However, two surprising outbursts this year have made it approximately 20,000 times brighter than its usual dimness, allowing it to be seen with just binoculars and long-duration camera exposures.
Comet 220P travels in orbit between Mars and Jupiter, taking over five years to complete a circuit around the Sun. The featured image, taken 10 days ago from South Africa, displays the comet's striking green head and a short dust tail. The cause of Comet 220P's impressive brightness remains a mystery, but it may be due to the release of built-up subsurface gas or the phenomenon known as comet quakes.
The comet will make a close approach to Earth, approximately the distance from Earth to the Sun, in October. Following its close encounter, Comet 220P is expected to fade rapidly as it resumes its journey back to the outer regions of its orbit.
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- APOD: 2026 August 24 – Comet 220P in Outburst science.nasa.gov
