<< Back to gallery

Photographer:

Mike Olason

Location of Photo:

Tucson, Arizona

Date/Time of photo:

2026 July 9, 0900UT

Equipment:

91mm f/4.9 Refractor and ASI533MM camera

Description:

Comet 220P/McNaught continues to fade after its brightness increased by about 7000 times at the end of May due to a major eruption on its surface or after getting hit by something. In these images the comet was magnitude 12.7, about 50 times fainter than after its major eruption. The comet is currently 127 million miles from Earth and will make its close approach to Earth on October 12 when it will be 94 million miles from Earth. Unless there is another major eruption the comet will continue to fade even though it gets closer to Earth. Take a look at the picture of Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF) passing 1.4 degrees from 220P on this morning as viewed from Earth.