APOD: 2026 April 27 – Comet R3 PanSTARRS Behind Satellite Trails
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Astronomy Picture of the Day
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
2026 April 27
Comet R3 PanSTARRS Behind Satellite Trails Image Credit & Copyright: Uli Fehr
Explanation: Can you find the comet?
Somewhere through this web of satellite trails is Comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS), a bright visitor passing through the inner Solar System.
Now, the orbiting satellites themselves only appear as streaks because of the long camera exposure, over 10 minutes in this case.
On the contrary, to the eye, satellites appear as points that drift slowly across the night sky and shine by reflecting sunlight -- primarily just after sunset and before sunrise.
The featured image was taken just before sunrise two weeks ago from Bavaria, Germany.
Presently, Comet R3 PanSTARRS is hard to see for even another reason -- because it is so (angularly) close to the Sun.
As the comet rounds the Sun, it will be best seen in coming weeks from southern hemispheree skies, although then it will be heading out to interstellar space and fading.
If you haven't yet found the comet, don't despair; please take a closer look just above the image center.
Tomorrow's picture: cometary mountains
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