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| C-2019 Y4 (ATLAS) photographed from Znith Observatory |
Way back during the roman times, the astrologer Marcus Manilius stated that comets were signs from Heaven of impending disaster. Included in his list of tribulations were failed crops, plague, wars, insurrection, and even family feuds. Anything could be blamed on comets!
Now we have Comet ATLAS visiting us from the depth of space. Marcus would have surely associated its discovery (made on December 28, 2019) with the global pandemic we are currently witnessing.
It's technical name is C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS). I photographed it on April 10 and 11th 2020 through my SCT 8 and a cooled CCD.
At the time of writing, this comet can be found with a telescope in the constellation of Camelopardalis as a diffuse object. It is expected to reach its nearest point to Earth on May 23 and come closest to the Sun on May 31.
So far the comet has fragmented into at least 10 pieces. After leaving the planetary region, the comet will have an outbound orbital period of about 5,200 years.
Stay safe!