Mercury's Tail
Taken by Dr. Sebastian Voltmer on April 12, 2023 @
Spicheren, France
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Date Taken: 2023:04:13 04:23:08
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Details:
This is NOT a comet, not even a shooting-star, but the planet Mercury, which is currently visible just after sunset. The solar wind and micro-meteorites eject sodium atoms from Mercury’s surface. This creates a yellow-orange tail of sodium gas that is around 24 million kilometers long.
I captured this stacked CCD image during the Yuri's Night 2023 from my backyard using a 135mm lens and a 589 nanometer filter tuned to the yellow glow of sodium.
Photographer's website:
https://www.instagram.com/sebastianvoltmer
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