A new image of the brightest comet of 2021 has recently been captured by a small space telescope led by a Chinese space firm. The said comet was photographed with a backdrop of an aurora and meteors flying through the skies.
Yangwang1 Space Telescope Meets Comet Leonard
The Milky Way galaxy is pictured as a Perseid meteor streak across the sky above the Negev desert near the Israeli city of Mitzpe Ramon, on August 12, 2021, during a yearly meteor shower, which occurs when the earth passes through the cloud of debris left by the comet Swift-Tuttle.
Yangwang 1 was the space telescope that captured the alluring brightness of the comet called Leonard. Yangwang 1 is owned by a China-based giant space enterprise called Origin Space. During the passing of the comet on its closest route last December 12, Leonard's exhibited features that were recorded by the space telescope in full detail, which could help future studies of experts in the astronomical field concerning cosmic materials space rocks such as comets.
Leonard is a unique visitor to Earth. Its appearance on our planet is remarkable, as it is considered the brightest comet to pass by our skies. Its visibility will run from December 12 to January 3, earning itself the Christmas comet title. After its full show, comet Leonard will begin to dive into the abyss of space, near other planets, and will reach the perihelion (closest point) to the sun. Once the exhibition of the comet ends, Leonard may not be seen again or could possibly return near Earth, but not for another 80,000 years.
Most comets need several techniques and equipment to enjoy the best viewing experience. However, one can enjoy Leonard without any equipment.
Comet Light Show Amidst Other Cosmic Phenomena Captured
Leonard, formally known in the astronomical community as C/2021 A1, was fully recognizable from the image captured by Origin Space's Yangwang 1. According to a report by Space, one imaging record presented the total length of the comet's tail. In addition, the same documentation captured two satellites in space and coincidental space phenomena such as meteor showers, aurora, and even airglow.
Yangwang 1 was initially launched in 2021 for a completely separate mission. Origin Space's main interest was to observe the universe and determine potential asteroids for cosmic resource mining. The space telescope utilizes the presence of visible light and ultraviolet light to identify the most promising rocks full of cosmic reserves. Although Yangwang 1 was not dedicated to Leonard's passing, the Chinese space telescope performed well on imaging the rare and brightest comet of the year.
Yangwang 1 is the first commercial space mission that, according to Origin Space, could also be used for other non-commercial astronomical collaborations. This means that the powerful space telescope could benefit not just private and professional studies but also state-run public projects for any outreach purposes.
The Chinese space telescope was launched and stationed last June 2021. Over the first few months of its job, Yangwang 1 had already captured a set of meteor streaks and aurora appearances that could make a priceless art collective. Last August, the space telescope was the first to record an almost impossible image of an aurora australis that hovers over the wide Pacific Ocean. Among the biggest anticipated projects of Origin Space is to capture a tiny asteroid from space in 2025.
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