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Photographer:

Mike Olason

Location of Photo:

Tucson, Arizona

Date/Time of photo:

18 May 2021, 1103 UT

Equipment:

11" SCT and STF-8300M CCD Camera

Description:

In these images taken at the beginning of morning twilight Comet 4P/Faye was magnitude 15.2 and 225 million miles from Earth. The comet had a 25 arc second coma around the nucleus and a 0.03 degree long tail to the WSW of the coma. The comet will be at perihelion in it's 7.48 year orbit in September 2021 when it will be 150 million miles from the Sun. 4P/Faye will make it's close approach to Earth in December 2021 when it will be 87 million miles from Earth and may brighten to magnitude 10.