Comet DeVico. Optical CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image of Comet DeVico. The bright part (at centre left) is the nucleus of the comet whilst the tail stretches to far right. A comet is a ball of ice and dust on an elliptical orbit around the Sun. As it approaches the Sun its surface evapor- ates,releasing a tail of dust and vapour that can reach millions of kilometres in length. The tail always extends away from the Sun,whatever direct- ion the comet is travelling. This is because the dust is swept along by the solar wind,the stream of charged particles coming from the Sun. Photographed in November 1995 with a 35cm tele- scope at the OCA observatory in California,USA | |
Lizenzart: | Lizenzpflichtig |
Credit: | Science Photo Library / Sanford, John |
Bildgröße: | 4603 px × 3150 px |
Modell-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Eigentums-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Restrictions: | - |