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Photographer:

Mike Olason

Location of Photo:

Tucson, Arizona

Date/Time of photo:

2026 February 8, 1258UT

Equipment:

50mm f/5 Refractor and IMX462 camera

Description:

These images of Comet C/2026 B2 (Sun-Gao) shows the comet low in the southeast morning sky just before dawn. The comet has a nice greenish coma 0.9' wide, but no tail is visible in these images. Magnitude calculations have the comet at magnitude 13.4/13.6, a lot brighter than some other magnitude reports and 4 times brighter than magnitude prediction curves, so maybe some unexpected eruptions have occurred on the surface of the comet. The comet was at perihelion in its orbit on January 9 and made its closest approach to Earth on January 30.