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Photographer:

Mike Olason

Location of Photo:

Tucson, Arizona

Date/Time of photo:

23 May 2021, 1039 UT

Equipment:

11" SCT and STF-8300M CCD Camera

Description:

These images of Comet 15P/Finlay were acquired just before morning twilight. Comet 15P was magnitude 14.9, 109 million miles from Earth and had a 44" coma. The comet will be at perihelion in it's 6.56 year orbit in July 2021 when it will be 92 million miles from the Sun and may brighten to magnitude 10. The comet will make it's close approach to Earth on 17 June 2021 at 101 million miles. If you like you can compare the images of Comet 15P/Finlay that I collected on 20 May 2021 in the morning twilight that I posted several days ago with these images collected before morning twilight.