Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

Comet R3 (PanSTARRS) Brightens

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for April 12, 2026 is “Comet R3 (PanSTARRS) Brightens,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Image Credit & Copyright: José Rodrigues). The original explanation runs about 174 words.

A starry night is seen above foreground mountains. Toward the right is a comet with its head near the bottom center and a long tail extending toward the upper right. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.
Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: José Rodrigues Copyrighted Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“Comet R3 is brightening rapidly — will it survive? C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) has been slowly brightening and extending an ion tail since its discovery last year.”

— APOD editors, April 12, 2026

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
April 12, 2026
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: José Rodrigues
Copyright
Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 174 words

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The SunComets

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On this day: April 12 in other years

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Source

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.