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Photographer:

Mike Olason

Location of Photo:

Tucson, Arizona

Date/Time of photo:

18 May 2021, 0655 UT

Equipment:

11" SCT and STF-8300M CCD Camera

Description:

Comet C/2020 J1 (SONEAR) was 2 days past it's close approach to Earth on May 16 (when it was 219 million miles away) and low in the southern skies for these images. The comet was magnitude 12.1, 220 million miles from Earth and had a tail greater than 0.07 degrees at a position angle of 141 degrees from the comet coma. J1 (SONEAR) was at perihelion back in April 2021 when it was 311 million miles from the Sun. The comet will now become fainter as it moves away from the Sun and Earth.