Comet C/2006 P1 (McNaught)
Date: 16 Jan 2007
Copyright: ESA, NASA SOHO/LASCO team
Sequence of images taken with the LASCO C3 instrument. The view is nearly 16° wide and shows the comet C/2006 P1 (McNaught) as it passed close to the Sun during the period 12 to 16 January 2007. The comet's orbit is inclined at ~78° to the ecliptic. Due to its brightness - comet C/2006 P1 (McNaught) is the brightest comet observed by SOHO to date - the comet appears saturated with horizontal spokes extending from its nucleus.
The Sun, indicated by the white circle, is blocked by the central occulting disc. In the central left part of the sequence, Mercury is seen moving to the left. The background stars move to the right as the telescope tracks the Sun's movement across the sky.
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Last Update: 14 Mar 2007
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