images

Comet Lulin and Saturn

by

Jerry Lodriguss/Novapix

Reference

a-com21-02510

Date

2009-02-24

Comet Lulin (C2007 / N3) at approximately 6th magnitude, passes just 2 degrees away from Saturn (upper right), shining brilliantly at magnitude 0.6. The spikes on Saturn are diffraction effects from the aperture blades in the camera lens.
Lulin's bright anti-tail points to the upper left, and it's faint blue ion tail points to the lower right. North is to the right in this image.
Sigma Leonis, a 4th magnitude star, is the other bright star in the frame, below and to the left of Saturn.