Astronomy Picture of the Day · February 21, 2009

The Swift View of Comet Lulin

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for February 21, 2009 is “The Swift View of Comet Lulin,” an image. It is credited to Credit: NASA , Swift , Univ. Leicester , DSS (STScI/AURUA), Dennis Bodewits (NASA/ GSFC ), et al.. The original explanation runs about 189 words.

From the explanation

“Now growing brighter, Comet Lulin is headed for its closest approach to planet Earth early next week. But the comet’s greenish glow , familiar to earthbound skygazers , is replaced by false colors in this premier view from the orbiting Swift satellite .”

— APOD editors, February 21, 2009

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date: February 21, 2009
Type: Image
Credit: Credit: NASA , Swift , Univ. Leicester , DSS (STScI/AURUA), Dennis Bodewits (NASA/ GSFC ), et al.
Copyright: No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length: About 189 words

All of February 2009 → · 2009 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

Comets

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: February 21 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, February 21, 2009 — science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-2009-february-21-the-swift-view-of-comet-lulin

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.