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Photographer:

Mike Olason

Location of Photo:

Tucson, Arizona

Date/Time of photo:

23 May 2021, 0840 UT

Equipment:

11" SCT and STF-8300M CCD Camera

Description:

Comet 246P/NEAT was low in the southern skies for these images. The comet was magnitude 13.9, 198 million miles from Earth and had a tail greater than 0.03 degrees at a position angle of 265 degrees from the comet coma. 246P was at perihelion in it's 8.05 year orbit back in February 2021 when it was 265 million miles from the Sun. The comet will make it's close approach to Earth in July 2021 when it will be 180 million miles away and may reach magnitude 13.