Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2026 April 12
   [2]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.

                       Comet R3 (PanSTARRS) Brightens
                Image Credit & Copyright: [3]José Rodrigues

   Explanation: Comet R3 is brightening rapidly -- will it survive?
   [4]C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) has been slowly brightening and extending an
   [5]ion tail since its discovery last year. This [6]shedding mountain of
   dirty ice puts on its best sky show this month, though, because it
   passes its closest to both the [7]Sun (April 19) and the [8]Earth
   (April 25). The [9]featured image, showing R3 already sporting a tail
   extending over 10 degrees, was taken two nights ago from [10]Sion,
   [11]Switzerland with the big mountain [12]Bietschhorn on the left.
   [13]Comet R3 will be visible during mid-April before sunrise. Although
   the future brightness of any comet is hard to predict, the brightness
   of [14]R3 makes it already a good [15]camera comet and it may become
   visible to the [16]unaided eye in the next week. [17]Comet R3's
   physical future is also [18]unknown because, like [19]Comet A1 (MAPS)
   earlier this month, it may [20]disintegrate when it passes its closest
   to the Sun. Or it may live to [21]leave the Solar System.

                    Growing Gallery: [22]Comet R3 in 2026
                      Tomorrow's picture: oyster stars
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [34]Robert Nemiroff ([35]MTU) & [36]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([37]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [38]Specific rights apply.
            [39]NASA Web Privacy, [40]Accessibility, [41]Notices;
                A service of: [42]ASD at [43]NASA / [44]GSFC,
                         [45]NASA Science Activation
                           & [46]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2604/R3Panstarrs_Rodrigues_1707.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/joserodrigues.space
   4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2025_R3_(PanSTARRS)
   5. https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/c/Cometary+Gas+Tail
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240106.html
   7. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/
   8. https://science.nasa.gov/earth/facts/
   9. https://www.instagram.com/p/DW6sYW2DBWm
  10. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4kb2daLcuq8
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland
  12. https://youtu.be/BFjvoT0CRQQ
  13. https://theskylive.com/c2025r3-info
  14. https://www.universetoday.com/articles/tales-of-two-comets-a1-maps-and-r3-pan-starrs-both-make-a-showing-in-april
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250929.html
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naked_eye
  17. https://www.space.com/astronomy/comets/why-im-hunting-for-comet-pan-starrs-right-now-before-its-too-late
  18. https://c8.alamy.com/comp/MCTDTA/unknown-person-with-a-package-on-his-head-drawn-funny-face-fools-day-emotions-and-feelings-indoor-shot-yellow-background-MCTDTA.jpg
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260409.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230903.html
  21. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2025_R3_(PanSTARRS)#Follow-up_observations
  22. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.946613941400517&type=3
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260411.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  27. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  29. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  32. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260412
  33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260413.html
  34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  35. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  36. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  37. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  38. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  42. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  43. https://www.nasa.gov/
  44. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  45. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  46. http://www.mtu.edu/