Currently, sci.esa.int is under review and not being updated. For the latest information and news from ESA science missions and scientific results, please visit esa.int. For a comprehensive overview of ESA’s Science Programme and its missions, please refer to science.esa.int. For in-depth technical information aimed at ESA's scientific communities, you may also wish to consult cosmos.esa.int.

Asset Publisher

Back Doomed Comet

Doomed Comet


Date: 22 December 1996
Satellite: SOHO
Depicts: SOHO Comet #6
Copyright: SOHO/LASCO (ESA/NASA)

Image of the solar corona as recorded by the outer LASCO coragraph (C3) on 23 December 1996. The field of view of this instrument encompasses 32 diameters of the Sun. To put this in perspective, the diameter of the images is 45 million kilometers (28 million miles) at the distance of the Sun, or half of the diameter of the orbit of Mercury. The Sun is located in the constellation Sagittarius. The center of the Milky Way is visible, as well as the dark interstellar dust rift, which stretches from the south to the north. The cloudy solar wind can be seen along the ecliptic plane, both over the east and the west limb of the Sun, stronger over the latter. The image also shows Comet SOHO-6, one of 7 sungrazers discovered so far by LASCO, as its head enters the equatorial solar wind region.
Last Update: 1 September 2019
21-Jan-2026 19:35 UT

ShortUrl Portlet

Shortcut URL

https://sci.esa.int/s/ABqOko8

Latest Selection

Also Available As

Related Images

Related Videos

Related Publications

Related Links

See Also

Documentation