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Photographer:

Mike Olason

Location of Photo:

Tucson, Arizona

Date/Time of photo:

2026 June 3, 1022UT

Equipment:

SeeStar S50

Description:

On June 3 observed Comet 220P/McNaught with a coma 8 arc minutes wide with a brighter white middle coma and a much fainter green outer coma as can be seen in the color image and the black/white image on the right used to calculate the comet magnitude of 8.9. The comet has a short 2.4 arc minute long tail visible to the upper right of the central coma. So, did it get hit by something or just a major eruption as 220P approaches perihelion on June 14. A long way from the Sun at 1.56AU on May 30-31 to have a major eruption that increases its brightness by about 7000 times.