It is the object to the left of the big tree that's generating much recent excitement. If you look closely, there you can see Comet PanSTARRS , complete with two tails . During July, this comet has increased markedly in brightness and has just passed its closest approach to Earth. The statuesque tree in the center is a Norfolk Island Pine , and to either side of this tree are New Zealand Pohutukawa trees. Over the trees, far in the distance, are bright Venus and an even brighter crescent Moon . If you look even more closely, you can find Jupiter hidden in the branches of the pine. The featured image was taken a few days ago in Fergusson Park , New Zealand , looking over Tauranga Harbour Inlet . In the coming days and weeks, Comet C/2014 Q1 (PANSTARRS) will slowly move away from the Sun and the Earth, drift deep into southern skies, and fade.
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Media Credits & Attribution
Image Credit & Copyright: Amit Kamble ( Auckland Astronomical Society ); Rollover Annotation: Judy Schmidt