Comet C/2018 V1 Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto one day before Close Approach to Earth

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Photographer:

Mike Olason

Location of Photo:

Denver, Colorado

Date/Time of photo:

26 November 2018, 1242UT

Equipment:

66mm Refractor f/6 and ST-402ME CCD Camera

Description:

Comet C/2018 V1 Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto makes it's close approach to Earth on November 27, unfortunately the comet is only 2 days away from being between the Earth and the Sun although it is above the planets orbital plane. So if you thought this would be a nice image of the comet at it's close approach to Earth you will be disappointed. The image shows the comet almost lost in the morning twilight just above the eastern horizon. The comet was 62 million miles from Earth moving at 4.6 degrees per day across Earth's sky. The comet will be lost in the glare of the Sun from November 28 to November 30 as seen from Denver. It will reappear in the Evening Twilight glare in December.