Astronomy Picture of the Day · May 13, 2021

The Comet, the Whale, and the Hockey Stick

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for May 13, 2021 is “The Comet, the Whale, and the Hockey Stick,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Image Credit & Copyright: Grand Mesa Observatory , Terry Hancock / Tom Masterson). The original explanation runs about 167 words.

From the explanation

“Closest to the Sun on March 1, and closest to planet Earth on April 23, this Comet ATLAS (C/2020 R4) shows a faint greenish coma and short tail in this pretty, telescopic field of view.”

— APOD editors, May 13, 2021

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date: May 13, 2021
Type: Image
Credit: Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: Grand Mesa Observatory , Terry Hancock / Tom Masterson
Copyright: Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length: About 167 words

All of May 2021 → · 2021 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

The Sun Galaxies Comets

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: May 13 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 13, 2021 — science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-2021-may-13-the-comet-the-whale-and-the-hockey-stick

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.