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Photographer:

Mike Olason

Location of Photo:

Tucson, Arizona

Date/Time of photo:

20 May 2021, 1123 UT

Equipment:

11" SCT and STF-8300M CCD Camera

Description:

Comet 10P/Tempel was only 7 degrees above the eastern horizon in morning twilight when these images were collected with some high thin clouds. Comet 10P was about magnitude 12 in the images and was 198 million miles from Earth. The comet was at perihelion in it's 5.36 year orbit this past March 2021 when it brightened to magnitude 11 and was 130 million miles from the Sun. Comet 10P will make it's close approach to Earth in November 2021 when it will be 149 million miles from Earth but will only be about magnitude 14.