The first-ever comet from beyond our Solar System has been successfully imaged in multiple colours.
The recently discovered C/2019 Q4 (Borisov) was captured using the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph on the Gemini North Telescope on Hawaii’s Maunakea.
“This image was possible because of Gemini’s ability to rapidly adjust observations and observe objects like this, which have very short windows of visibility,” says Andrew Stephens, who coordinated the observations.
“However, we really had to scramble for this one since we got the final details at 3:00 am and were observing it by 4:45.”
The image shows a very pronounced tail, indicative of outgassing, which is what defines a cometary object.
It was obtained with four 60-second exposures in bands (filters) r and g. Blue and red dashes are images of background stars which appear to streak due to the motion of the comet.
Originally published by Cosmos as Comet captured in colour
Cosmos
Curated content from the editorial staff at Cosmos Magazine.
Read science facts, not fiction...
There’s never been a more important time to explain the facts, cherish evidence-based knowledge and to showcase the latest scientific, technological and engineering breakthroughs. Cosmos is published by The Royal Institution of Australia, a charity dedicated to connecting people with the world of science. Financial contributions, however big or small, help us provide access to trusted science information at a time when the world needs it most. Please support us by making a donation or purchasing a subscription today.