Comet C/2018 V1 (Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto) after Perihelion

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Photographer:

Mike Olason

Location of Photo:

Denver, Colorado

Date/Time of photo:

5 December 2018, 0043UT

Equipment:

11" SCT f/6.4 and STF-8300M CCD Camera

Description:

Comet C/2018 V1 (Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto) has moved out of the evening twilight glare although it will remain low on the western horizon in a sky that is not totally dark as seen from Denver. The comet reached perihelion on December 3 and is now 36 million miles from the Sun, it made it's close approach to Earth on November 27 and is now 76 million miles from the Earth. The comet will move away from Earth and fade to magnitude 20 by the end of next summer. In this image the comet is about magnitude 10.5, 8 degrees above the western horizon in a hazy sky.