Astronomy Picture of the Day · May 15, 2002

Tail Wags of Comet Ikeya-Zhang

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for May 15, 2002 is “Tail Wags of Comet Ikeya-Zhang,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Credit & Copyright: Michael Karrer). The original explanation runs about 121 words.

From the explanation

“As Comet Ikeya-Zhang approached the Sun two months ago, it developed a complex blue ion tail . The tail was composed of ions that boiled off the nucleus and were pushed away from the Sun by the out-flowing fast-moving particles of the solar wind .”

— APOD editors, May 15, 2002

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date: May 15, 2002
Type: Image
Credit: Credit & Copyright: Michael Karrer
Copyright: Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length: About 121 words

All of May 2002 → · 2002 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

The Sun Comets

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: May 15 in other years

On Amazon

Popular picks for space fans

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Electronics Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB Read astronomy and space-history books anywhere. View on Amazon → Electronics Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones Noise-cancelling headphones for documentaries and launch livestreams. View on Amazon →

Source

Astronomy Picture of the Day, May 15, 2002 — science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-2002-may-15-tail-wags-of-comet-ikeya-zhang

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.