Galaxy NGC 2997 and comet C/2012 V2 (LINEAR). Comets are bodies of ice and dust that enter the inner solar system from the outer solar system. As they

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Galaxy NGC 2997 and comet C/2012 V2 (LINEAR). Comets are bodies of ice and dust that enter the inner solar system from the outer solar system. As they approach the Sun, the heat boils the ice, producing a coma around the nucleus, along with a tail stretching out behind it. Comet C/2012 V2 (right) was discovered on 5 November 2012 by the LINEAR survey. It came to perihelion during mid-August 2013 and reached 8th magnitude, displaying a fine dust tail and a distinct greenish coma. Spiral galaxy NGC 2997 (left) lies 40 million light years from Earth, in the constellation of Antlia. This image was obtained on 29 September 2013.

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Size: 4725px × 3701px
Photo credit: © DAMIAN PEACH/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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Keywords: /2012, 20-, 21st, 29, 2013, 2997, antlia, astronomical, astronomy, astrophysical, astrophysics, boiling, cdk, century, comet, cometary, dust, , fli-pl6303e, galaxy, gaseous, gassing, ice, linear, ngc, nucleus, optical, periodic, planetary, science, september, solar, space, survey, system, tail, telescope, universe, v2, visible