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Photographer:

Mike Olason

Location of Photo:

Tucson, Arizona

Date/Time of photo:

2026 July 9, 1107UT

Equipment:

91mm f/4.9 Refractor and ASI533MM camera

Description:

On the morning of 2026 July 9 Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF) was 1.4 degrees away from Comet 220P/McNaught, P/2021 N1 was moving 2.56 degrees per day across Earths sky as it headed towards its closest approach to 220P later in the day about 1.2 degrees from 220P. 220P was magnitude 12.7, 19 times brighter than P/2021 N1 at magnitude 15.9 in these images. P/2021 N1 actually had a longer tail visible, a pencil thin 3' long tail, 220Ps tail was wider and 2' long. 220P is moving towards the Earth for its close approach at 94 million miles on October 12 after reaching perihelion on June 14, P/2021 N1 is now moving away from Earth after its close approach at 15.3 million miles on June 29 and is headed towards perihelion on July 28. Both comets have probably reached their peak brightness.